Alternattiva Demokratika, The Green Party, has expressed its disappointment in regards to the lack of funding going towards the Malta Olympic Committee in order to finance Malta’s participation in the 2005 Games of the Small States of Europe.

David Darmanin, the party spokesperson for Culture, Youth Affairs and Sport said, “It would be a shame if Malta does not participate in the 2005 games after the huge success our athletes obtained in the 2003 games organised in Malta. The situation is symptomatic of government’s lack of planning and prioritisation. It is shameful that Government had invested millions in state of the art sports complexes and in organising the games so successfully in 2003, but now has not found the money to guarantee Malta’s participation in the 2005 Games of the Small States of Europe.”

AD urges the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to support the MOC in its efforts to participate in the 2005 games. “It is certainly not fair on our athletes who have been preparing for these games for the last two years. Our athletes deserve to participate and Government should support the MOC and Maltese athletes who have made Malta proud in past editions of the GSSE”, concluded Darmanin.