Cuschieri demands diplomatic intervention as France, Italy hold up sixth MEP's seat

Former Labour MP Joseph Cuschieri has called on the European Parliament’s president Jerzy Buzek to hasten the process for the addition of the new MEPs elected to the European Parliament in 2009.

He is also asking for his party's and government's diplomatic intervention with countries that have stalled the integration of the new MEPs.

“These changes have long been in the offing since 2008, so it’s hard to understand how such a simple process could have taken so long,” Cuschieri said in a statement today, after parliament yesterday unanimously approved a government motion to amend the EU protocol to increase the total number of MEPs by 18 – increasing Malta’s delegation by one to six.

Malta is one of the first countries to ratify the protocol, as it was in its interest to benefit from the sixth seat.

“The European Parliament has shown great bureaucracy in the integration of new MEPs elected democratically back in June 2009. Labour’s fourth seat and Malta’s sixth is simply a dream, and unfortunately not everyone did their utmost to have Malta take up this seat,” Cuschieri said.

While 18 additional MEPs are set to join the ranks of the European Parliament this year following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, disagreements persist over the selection process at national level.

French Prime Minister François Fillon has asked Bernard Accoyer, president of the National Assembly, to designate the two new MEPs “as soon as possible” from the parliament’s ranks – one seat granted to the leading centre-right UMP party and one seat to the opposition socialist party. But French Greens and Communists have rejected “this political masquerade” and refused to present their candidates for selection, delaying a vote in the French lower House.

And in Italy, where no decision was taken on how to choose its additional MEP, the country has to wait for the outcome of a constitutional case in its courts where two regions are contesting the way the government wants to appoint the new MEP.

Foreign minister Tonio Borg has also warned it would not be the Maltese government’s fault if the protocol was not ratified by December 2010.

“I would like both government and the Opposition to intervene diplomatically if what was reported in It-Torca on Sunday is true,” Cuschieri said in a statement today.

“I demand their diplomatic intervention urgently and without any time-wasting to see who is responsible. It is unacceptable that Malta loses what is rightfully hers. I expect Labour to put considerable and coordinate pressure on the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats to see to this problem… and the PN to make similar pressure on Jerzey Buzek and the European People’s Party.”