Francis Zammit Dimech approached to run for MEP
PN sources confirmed that Francis Zammit Dimech was approached to be on the list of candidates.
Sources close to the PN have told MaltaToday that Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech has been approached to be on the list of candidates.
Contacted by MaltaToday, the former minister refused to either confirm or deny whether he had accepted to be an MEP candidate in May 2014 elections.
The sources said newly-elected PN MP Claudette Buttigieg was also approached but that she had refused to accept the candidature.
"There are various views about Zammit Dimech's candidature. Some want him to be a star candidate and match former Labour prime minister Alfred Sant's candidature. Others say the PN needs a fresh candidature and that would mean that Zammit Dimech isn't the best choice. Labour already have 10 candidates and 12 if you include incumbents Marlene Mizzi and Joseph Cuschieri. The PN has eight and if you include Zammit Dimech, Norman Vella, Jean Claude Micallef and Herman Schiavone, they will also have 12 candidates."
The eight candidates announced in the first batch of PN candidates for the MEP elections, include Brandstatter's former CEO Helga Ellul and Chamber of Commerce official Stefano Mallia. Current MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola will be seeking re-election.
The other candidates include Gozitan lawyer Kevin Cutajar, president of the PN's youth section Kevin Plumpton, lawyer Therese Commodini Cachia and entrepreneur Jonathan Shaw.
The commission tasked with the vetting of candidates approved all these candidates. In an interview with Sunday newspaper Illum, the chairman of this commission, former European Commissioner Joe Borg said that there was no need of presenting star candidates on the PN ticket for the European Parliament elections next year.
Zammit Dimech was first elected to Parliament in 1987 and in all subsequent general elections. He has held ministerial posts in transport, communications, environment, tourism and for a short time in 2012, foreign minister.
If Zammit Dimech contests successfully the MEP elections, Joanna Agius, Karl Gouder and Joe Falzon will be among the favourites to fill the vacated seat in parliament.
The PN executive committee will be meeting this Saturday, but the MEP candidate list is not on the agenda.