Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has just addressed the European Parliament as Malta’s EU Council Presidency comes to a close. MEPs in Strasbourg were debating the work carried out during Malta’s Presidency. Muscat highlighted the biggest successes over the past six months, such as abolishing roaming charges and closing off many dossiers.

He said that all members should be ashamed of the EU’s track record of showing solidarity towards each member state. Muscat committed himself to dedicating all military assets towards helping rescue missions at sea.

At the MEP debate, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Parliament President Atonio Tajani went head to head over the low number of MEPs who attended the hearing, with the former calling the latter ‘ridiculous’. Juncker also said that he would not attend another EP plenary session again.

Estonia has officially taken over the EU presidency until January.