European Parliament President Martin Schulz this morning attended a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, Environment Minister Jose Herrera, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela and Parliamentary Secretary for the EU presidency Ian Borg were all in attendance.
Mr Schulz highlighted how Malta’s experience in receiving refugees could help the EU as a whole to reach a solution on the matter.
He said that migration is at the forefront of the EP’s agenda, and that Malta had already received some 15,000 migrants roughly 12 years ago.
Mr Schulz attended a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of the EP along with a delegation, and is in Malta to meet with the government for a number of bilateral meetings ahead of its 2017 EU Council rotating presidency.
Prime Minister Muscat spoke of how Malta’s priorities are aligned with that of the EU as a whole, namely improving the single market, mitigating the migration crisis and strengthening the digital economy.
Schulz started the day with a courtesy visit to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca at the Presidential Palace in San Anton. The delegation will then meet with Prime Minister Muscat and at 11.30am; the two will address a joint press conference.
Mr Schulz will also be making a visit to the House of Representatives in the afternoon. The last time that the European Parliament President came to Malta was in November of 2015, when Schulz attended the Migration Summit organised in Malta.