Metsola in Malta makes pitch for participation in 2024 European elections

The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola addressed educators, civil society organisations, the diplomatic corps, religious and other leaders at an event in Malta this morning.

“2024 will be an important year for Malta and for Europe. It will be the year that we celebrate 20 years of Malta in the European Union and all the opportunities that this has brought to our islands and our people,” Metsola, a Nationalist MEP (EPP), said.

“The story of Europe may yet be unwritten, but in the last 20 years, Malta has played a key role in the chapter that has seen Europe go from strength to strength. That has seen us standing up for our values, making our people more prosperous, safer and more secure and Europeans’ everyday lives that little bit easier.”

Metsola said the past few years of geopolitical challenges had shown how Europe stands more to gain from working together. “I am proud of what we did together,” she said of the EU’s programme of funds, the response to  attacks on Ukraine and on democracy, to EU actions and laws in the digital realm, on disinformation, on women’s rights, on climate, and on migration.

Metsola said that with the coming European elections in June 2024, it was important to ensure people voted to influence the policies and decisions of the EU. “The European elections matter because our freedom matters. Our rights matter and the opportunities that we get from working together matter too. That is the message that I came with today and that I am taking all over Europe.”

Mario Sammut, head of the European Parliament Office in Malta, also highlighted the crucial year ahead. “This year, more than ever, the European Parliament Office in Malta has an ambitious mission — to help citizens understand that, firstly, decisions made at the European Parliament have tangible consequences in their daily lives,” Dr Sammut said. “Secondly, that they can influence and shape this impact through active engagement in the European democratic process, especially by exercising the right to vote in the European elections”.

The high-level meeting was hosted by the European Parliament Office in Malta, with Metsola delivering the keynote speech as the guest of honour, and all Maltese MEPs invited.

The President of the European Parliament is visiting all EU Member States, meeting with EU citizens and urging them to use their vote, warning also of the dangers of disinformation, and of the importance of engaging to defend the benefits of the EU that are easily taken for granted.