“Our country depends on you,” Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told the newly elected MEPs while expressing his hope on being able to coordinate work even though they came from two opposing parties.

In the first friendly tone in weeks, he expressed his confidence that the group will manage to put national interest first as Maltese representatives always did at international institutions. Meanwhile the group listened as attentive school boys.

This was pointed out yesterday evening in the presence of journalists as Dr Gonzi called the MEPs for talks at Castille once the vote counting process was over.

Simon Busuttil, David Casa, Louis Grech, Edward Scicluna, John Attard Montalto and Joseph Cuschieri were personally congratulated by Dr Gonzi for winning the voters’ trust to represent us at the EP.

Malta now had a five-year experience at the EP in which its participation and work on issues with direct relevance for Malta was strong. Dr Gonzi resumed talks with the group in private.