Speaking during a press conference yesterday, Deputy Leader for Party Affairs Michael Falzon said that the MLP will, “as usual”, join the rest of world and give due importance to Workers’ Day.

Asked whether this meant that the party was not giving importance to Malta’s EU accession, Dr Falzon simply replied that the party had its programme to celebrate Workers’ Day “as it always did”. He added that the party was not telling people not to attend the celebrations organised to mark Malta’s EU accession.

Dr Falzon said the party was planning to hold a mass rally on 30 April and a demonstration in Valletta on 1 May. Permits for the latter event have not yet been issued.

He said the party will continue using the theme it used for the 25th anniversary of Freedom Day on 31 March: Xoghol, Harsien, Dinjita (Work, Protection and Dignity).

The programme of activities includes meetings with young people and the elderly and visits to several places of work.

Dr Falzon said these activities are aimed at getting the party closer to Maltese and Gozitan families.

Asked about the performance of the Nationalist Party one year after the electoral victory on 12 April last year, Dr Falzon said this left a lot to be desired. He mentioned areas in which the government has failed, including unemployment, which has climbed to nearly 9,000, and the country’s finances.

Maltese EU Commissioner Joe Borg’s hearing at European Parliament today

Joe Borg, Malta’s commissioner at the European Union, has his hearing at the European Parliament this afternoon, during which he will be asked several questions by MEPs.

The commissioners of the 10 new EU member states will all have one hour and 20 minutes to introduce themselves to the European members of parliament and reply to their questions. The commissioner of Latvia will be first, followed by Hungary and Malta.

Tomorrow, the commissioners of Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Cyprus will have their hearings. The last hearing – that of Estonia – will be held on Thursday morning, followed by a press conference.

The aim of the hearings is to provide an insight into the views and personalities of the commissioners-designate and to give them an opportunity to make their voices heard and put their views forward.

The hearings will focus on the past political experience of the commissioners-designate to evaluate whether they are suitable for a position of considerable political power.