Mr Simpson, who is International Secretary of the European Federation of Green Parties described the MLP’s stance as "very strange" and "xenophobic".

Speaking to MaltaToday, Mr Simpson said that all European Socialists wanted to go ahead with the EU project. "Time marches on and the Irish socialist party has since changed its position realising that Europe has evolved," he said.

Reacting to the threat of sovereignty posed by decision-makers in Brussels, Mr Simpson said that the biggest threat facing sovereign states today comes from large multi-national corporations.

He explained that these corporations are accountable only to their shareholders and small countries like Malta and Ireland may lose the power to control themselves in the face of these giants.

"Being members of the EU is a counter balance to the threat posed by multi-nationals," Mr Simpson added.

"The EU has had a positive impact on environmental legislation, human rights, justice and equality which would have otherwise been difficult to achieve by individual states alone," Mr Simpson explained.

Nonetheless he insisted that EU institutions must develop in such a way to be accountable to the people of Europe. "The principle of subsidiarity, where a decision need not be taken at a higher level if it can be taken at a lower level, must be upheld at all times," Mr Simpson stressed.

The Irishman said the Irish Green Party was in favour of EU enlargement but was concerned about certain aspects of the Nice Treaty. "We are against a two-tier Europe," he remarked.

Mr Simpson than explained the Irish Green Party’s concerns about the Nice Treaty: "We are concerned because the treaty emphasises more centralisation as opposed to subsidiarity. Furthermore, we are concerned on the Rapid Reaction Force, which is developing into a European Army. The third issue we are concerned about is the qualified majority voting system by which the big powers will almost have the final say in everything."

When asked about Irish Green MEP, Patricia McKenna, who was a guest of Karmenu’s CNI, Mr Simpson shot down the media spin built around Ms McKenna’s anti-EU sentiments. Mr Simpson explained that Ms McKenna fully endorses the Irish Green Party’s stance on the EU. "She is in favour of enlargement but has reservations on the Nice Treaty," he added.

Mr Simpson was in Malta as a guest of Malta’s Green Party at the end of the week.