Updated | Joseph Cuschieri ‘shows political immaturity’, says Simon Busuttil

In a statement reacting to accusations of "political immaturity" by PN MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa, Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri in turn accused the two of not only political immaturity, but "political irresponsibility" based on “personal animosity and partisan interests.”

“My political maturity depends on actions and not words,” Cuschieri said, adding that those who had ignored the mandate of 19,672 Maltese and Gozitan voters for two years and sat idle when they could have done much due to personal animosity and partisan interests “are not only politically immature, but also politically irresponsible.”

Cuschieri said that Simon Busuttil’s declaration that Malta’s sixth MEP seat is assured until after the coming MEP election “is worrying for the democratic process which was held during the last MEP election.”

He added that the statements also revealed a disinterest among Nationalist MEPs towards speeding up the process. “Simon Busuttil’s declaration showed that he does not believe in the country’s democratic process and in Malta’s sixth parliamentary seat.”

Cuschieri also hit out at Casa’s statement that the government had been doing its best to speed up the process, saying this was “empty and lacking in substance.”

“David Casa should have given an account of the work done by the Nationalist government this regard,” he said. “Unfortunately, aside from the ratification of the protocol by the Maltese government, this account cannot be given as nothing concrete was done to begin with.”

Cuschieri said that both Busuttil and Casa knew how the ratification of the protocol had been pending for over a year, “and not simply a few weeks or months.” He said that Casa and Busuttil should have mentioned how over a year ago, he had requested to meet them to discuss the situation in the interest of Malta.

“David Casa didn’t even deign himself to respond to my invitation, far lass attend,” Cuschieri said, adding that a meeting with Busuttil had taken place with the conclusion that Busuttil could give a report on the interventions the latter would make within the EPP.

“Since that day, no reports were made on what was done or not done,” Cuschieri said.

He called on both MEPs to say what action they had taken within the European Parliament and other EU institutions since the most recent MEP election to date, especially since the approval of the Lisbon Treaty and the signing of the protocol in June 2010.

“I completely disagree that something like the Greek situation is held hostage to this issue, especially given the guarantee of a sixth seat,” Busuttil said during a press conference held earlier.

He was asked by MaltaToday to comment on Cuschieri's recent statements urging government to withhold support for the second Greek bail-out unless it ratifies the protocol.

“This shows political immaturity,” he added, referring to how Malta’s sixth seat is already assured come the next MEP election.

Busuttil was speaking at a press conference during which he and fellow Nationalist MEP David Casa reviewed their work as Maltese MEPs.

“This is not how things are done in the European Union,” Casa said. “Shouting and stamping one’s feet is not the way to negotiate,” he added, referring to how Malta is not the only country that is still awaiting its additional seat allocation.

Casa also insisted that despite the delay in the ratification of the protocol that would allocate the increases the number of MEPs in the parliament, “I have no doubt that the government is doing its best and carrying out all the necessary negotiations to speed the process.”

He said the government was doing this though persistence with the handful of countries – among which is Greece – who have not yet ratified the protocol. “Confusing the two issues together is not the correct way of obtaining such a right,” Casa said.

Cuschieri raised eyebrows earlier this week when he wrote to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to complain how Malta was ratifying a second bailout for the Greek government without having demanded that the Greek ratifies the protocol governing the extra allocation of MEP seats.

“Malta will be contributing to the second Greek bailout when Greece is one of five member states dragging their feet on ratifying protocol 36… the Maltese government must demand that Greece ratifies it immediately so that its sixth MEP can take his place in the European Parliament,” Cuschieri said.

Casa and Busuttil also tabled their respective accounts during the press conference on Friday.

Busuttil spent a total of €193,123.72 on the budget claimed for recruitment and salaries paid to office parliamentary staff. His staff complement is composed of 10 individuals (six parliamentary assistants, one executive secretary, two external consultants, and one assistant).

Busuttil also spent €33,758.32 on general expenditure allowance. Busuttil’s regular home to parliament travel (and return) expenditure amounted to €21,446.36 on air travel, €1,513.17 on car travel, and €14,678.85 on distance allowed.

Busuttil’s daily subsistence allowance also amounted to €47,307.50 for 155 parliamentary days, while his Travel Allowance amounted to €1,006.10.

Casa’s own expenditure amounted to €210,909.56 on the budget claimed for recruitment and salaries paid to office parliamentary staff. His staff complement is composed of 12 individuals.

Casa’s staff complement was made up of one parliamentary assistant, one parliamentary assistant, one communications coordinator, one private secretary, four assistants, and three advisors.

Busuttil also spent €37,242.12 on general expenditure allowance. Busuttil’s regular home to parliament travel (and return) expenditure amounted to €23,879.51 on air travel, €596 on car travel, and €7,013.17 on distance allowed.

Casa’s daily subsistence allowance also amounted to €40,379, for 135 parliamentary days. He also paid back €37,667.44 to the European People’s Party.

Referring to Cuschieri’s statements, Nationalist Party General Secretary Borg Olivier also described Cuschieri’s statements as “imprudent”. He said the two Nationalist MEPs had taken care to “above all, ensure the national good.”

He added that “binding one’s claim to the Greek bail-out ignores an interest that goes far beyond that mere claim” referring to the stability of the Eurozone that hinges on the Greek economic stability.

In this, Borg Olivier said that Cuschieri should have sought consensus within structures such as the European Socialist Party.

Referring to figures detailing Maltese MEP parliamentary attendance figures, parliamentary questions, reports, interventions during plenary, declarations, and other resolutions, Busuttil and Borg Olivier said that Nationalist MEPs proved themselves more effective than the Labour MEPs.

“Statistics show that two PN MEPS were worth more than three PL MEPs,” Busuttil said. “This is clear especially when it comes to parliamentary attendance figures,” Busuttil said. “If there were three PN MEPs, the gap would be more apparent,” Busuttil speculated.

He added that in this, the PN MEP’s parliamentary attendance figures “were quite unlike those of other people”, in a not-so-subtle jibe at Labour MP Adrian Vassallo – the MP with the lowest parliamentary attendance on record.