Simon Busuttil (PN)
MEP contestant Simon Busuttil recently launched his new website as part of his campaign for June’s European Parliament elections.
In the welcoming page, Dr Busuttil says he is contesting because he wants to make a success of European Union membership and he wants to contribute so the EU can bridge the gap with its citizens and be understood by all.
To this effect the site hosts a number of links to other websites giving information on EU affairs. It also carries a question facility for the public to email their queries about Malta and the EU. Besides a detailed description of his varied professional experience, particularly in the field of European affairs, visitors can get a clear idea of Dr Busuttil’s views through the “Where I stand” section, which gives a number of his statements and articles.
Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist Party contestant in the upcoming EP election.
The website can be found at www.simonbusuttil.com
Michael Falzon (PN)
Former Nationalist Party minister Michael Falzon, who is contesting the European Parliament elections as a PN candidate, officially launched his electoral campaign on Thursday evening during a reception held at the Coastline Hotel.
Addressing those present, Mr Falzon said he had decided to contest the 12 June elections because he believed that he could give a positive and effective contribution in the interests of Malta as an MEP in the largest political group – the EPP-ED – in the most democratic institution of the European Union.
He expressed his satisfaction at being surrounded by so many friends, including many who had known him active in the PN for a long time and with whom he had worked in the most difficult times that the party had faced before 1987. He added that this meant that he knew exactly how the PN grassroots felt and he therefore thought that he was the candidate that could best represent them.
Mr Falzon recalled that he had been an MP for 20 years and had experienced every type of parliamentary debate in the Maltese House of Representatives. These included 10 turbulent years in opposition and almost another 10 years as a government minister. He added that his experience in cabinet involved mostly the infrastructure, the environment and education, three areas that figure highly in the use of the funds that Malta is receiving from the EU.
Mr Falzon also remarked that when earlier someone had asked him what his electoral slogan was he had replied that his slogan was the same as that of the party: Iva Nikbru fl-Ewropa (Yes we will develop in Europe) adding that when he contested elections as a PN candidate in the past he never devised his own individual slogan and always adopted the official PN slogan as he considered himself a loyal player of the PN team.
Towards the end of his speech, Mr Falzon assured those present that if he is elected in the European Parliament he will do his utmost to use his experience on the relationship between citizens and those who represent them in order to work in the interest of the Maltese citizen. After Mr Falzon’s address, his website was officially launched: www.michaelfalzon.net
Roberta Tedesco Triccas (PN)
Roberta Tedesco Triccas, a 25-year-old lawyer from Swieqi, launched her campaign for the European Parliament elections at a press conference at the President Hotel in St Julian’s last week.
Dr Tedesco Triccas said she was approached by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to contest the election and added that she believed that it was the Nationalist Party that had remained consistent in its principles, values and commitments
to European enlargement.
She outlined her areer working
in ELCOM, the SDM and the National Youth Council and cited her extensive experience gained in Brussels, working for the European Popular Party among other jobs.
Dr Tedesco Triccas said she has been involved in social activities since she was 15 and was launching a campaign to represent the citizen. She said she would be conducting various meetings with all sectors of society to convince the sceptics of the benefits that European Union membership will bring to the country. Dr Tedesco Triccas also said Malta has a much higher ratio of MPs per population, as in Germany each MEP represents about one million citizens. She also said she would be conducting familiarisation visits to Brussels for the Maltese electorate so everyone would be able to understand the workings and mechanisms of the European Parliament.
On the subject of education and religious heritage, Dr Tedesco Triccas said there was still a lot to be done in these areas and she was keen to be given the chance to work on the social affairs committee of the European Parliament.
She ended with an appeal to the Labour party candidates to work together, as it was imperative that anyone elected to represent Malta should act in the national interest, and also said she was proud to be representing the PN – adding that a vote for the PN would be a vote for Europe on 12 June.