Robert Micallef’s arguments about the need to improve the terms of Malta’s membership in the European Union have received enthusiastic response both from europhiles, who are unhappy with the current government’s performance in European affairs and also from Eurosceptics who are prepared to support a candidate who articulates a realistic way forward in navigating the European system with a view to improving the conditions of EU membership. When viewing the CVs of all the candidates Micallef appears to be highly technical and academically qualified to do the job and is the only candidate who has direct experience of employment at a senior level in the European Institutions. He worked as an economist with the European Commission and for the EU Delegation to Malta as the right hand man of EU ambassador Dr Giorgio Boggio during a key period in EU-Malta relations. It is no surprise that the Nationalist Party have targeted Micallef in their media showing clips of former Labour prime ministers Mintoff and Mifsud Bonnici calling on Maltese voters to vote for Robert Micallef. This does not seem to disturb Micallef who insists that making a success of EU membership requires a national effort that should include anyone who is willing to help take on the challenges and opportunities of EU membership. He welcomes the support of the two former prime ministers as much as he looks forward to working with both Nationalist and Labour candidates who are running for election to the European Parliament.

Robert Micallef believes that MEPs should help foster a greater sense of belonging in Europe among the electorate by explaining why the work of the institutions is relevant to the working lives of the Maltese people. He states that the results of EU-Malta negotiations are not sacred. In fact the Maltese government is trying to obtain six seats in the European Parliament instead of five as agreed in the Accession Treaty. Micallef takes the government to task for not being prepared to discuss the possibility of other improvements if they can absorb the obligations of membership or if they can provide better guarantees for Malta’s security. In an interview with a leading Sunday newspaper Robert Micallef states that Malta has a government that has a lethargic outlook on European affairs and is not well equipped to handle the responsibilities of membership, particularly in the economic sector or in managing the opportunities of membership such as project financing.

His two priorities for Malta are economic development and security. He thinks that Malta’s succes as a European member State depends to a large extent on fulfilling Europe’s economic criterias particularly on national debt, deficit and job creation. The government can’t afford to lose track in this area since this could create problems for the rest of the European Union and also threaten Malta’s social fabric. Security issues are also crucial and Micallef expresses diappointment that the government seems to neglect this issue at a time when all the EU leaders want to make it their priority due to the increasing threat of terrorism and the future military profile of Europe. He maintains that Europe requires a stronger and more effective voice in international diplomacy but this should not compromise the future security of Malta as a small nation which could be an easy target of international terrorism.