In the past campaign, we heard that the PL MEPs, when faced with a vote on vital issues of national interest, have abstained from voting. I fail to buy the argument that our representatives are so distracted as to make mistakes on vital issues like immigration or working time.

Instead, I firmly believe that abstaining can be explained otherwise. PL MEPs are consistently torn between two lovers – the needs of the Maltese people, and the party line of the European Socialist Party.

That is the only explanation for voting in favour of getting Guantanamo terrorist suspects to our shores, that is the only explanation for voting inconsistently on the report on the working time directive, or for voting in different ways on immigration.

PL MEPs are under pressure from their socialist colleagues, and are constrained therefore to vote with ideology rather than with national interest in mind.

Browsing the European Parliament website (www.europarl.europa.eu), one can verify the voting of each and every MEP. Voting in favour is marked with a ‘+’, while voting against with a ‘-’ symbol. Those abstaining are then put under a ‘0’ sign. Zero is therefore a very simple way of describing the relevance of MEPs who are not convinced of their loyalty to the Maltese people.

Zero is the effect you have on that if you remain at home next Saturday.

Carmelo Agius

Birzebbugia