Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Mr Cox urged the Maltese public to keep up with tradition and register a high participation rate in the forthcoming election.

He said Malta has a tradition of having a high voter turnout, adding that if this is kept up, it will leave the other member states wondering how the smallest country can have the largest voter turnout.

On the issue of Malta having just five MEPs, Mr Cox said this did not matter because the largest to the smallest component within the EP is considered to be important.

“Build networks. Build friendships. Build respect. Then, at the end of the day, the people you consider as your friends will be there to help you,” he said.

Mr Cox said the Maltese MEPs will be giving the parliament and Europe their Mediterranean experience. The EP, he said, is the direct link between the decisions and the member state. “Now that you’re there, make the best of it,” he said.

Dr Gonzi said that during a meeting with Mr Cox, they discussed a number of issues of interest to Malta, especially the 12 June election. He said that thanks to the decision taken over a year ago to join the European Union, the Maltese people now have the golden opportunity to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. These five persons will have the task of contributing to the EU while helping Malta to make the best of EU membership.

The prime minister said that they also spoke about the draft EU Constitution and the progress registered in this respect. They also discussed Malta’s position with regard to the number of seats and the voting system. He said every effort should be made to reach the historical agreement on the Constitution for Europe.

Meanwhile, during a public meeting in Valletta yesterday afternoon, Mr Cox repeated his appeal for the Maltese to use their right to vote for their representatives in the EP.

He put himself in the shoes of a Maltese citizen and asked how five members could make their voice heard in an EP of 732 members. He said: “You are the guardian of your own identity. In Europe we celebrate diversity. Your representatives will form part of their respective larger groups who will help them make their voices heard.”

Asked what he felt about Malta’s size and its influence in the EP, he replied: “I have been in parliament for 15 years and I don’t remember one instance when our house was divided on the basis of the size of the member state in question.”

Concluding his address, Mr Cox said: “Win the gold medal for performance and let the others see how you have the best turnout. This is your European Parliament.”

Mr Cox yesterday also had meetings with President Eddie Fenech Adami, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Anton Tabone, the leader of the Opposition Dr Alfred Sant, and Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo.