All the PN's men and women

Eight candidates will be contesting the June 12 European parliament elections on behalf of the Nationalist Party.

It is rather odd that out of the eight candidates, three formed part of the Iva (yes) campaign. Funnily enough these three include former MIC chairman Simon Busuttil, (in the circumstances) the most fortunate of all as he knew that the government-funded campaign he led then aided his party's beliefs.

Joanna Drake and David Casa had been assisted by the PN to conduct their campaign in favour of their own party.

The media used to cover their meetings, especially in the case of the latter two, and, thus, their campaign must have definitely been given a helping hand.

The others on the list, including former minister Michael Falzon, are at a disadvantage in this respect.

For over a year on Radio 101, Mr Casa has been venting his unkindness and distaste towards the Labour Party and its supporters.

I hope that, if and when elected, none of the above would state they represent the interests of the Maltese. Such a statement would be as hilarious as President Eddie Fenech Adami's declaration: "I am ready to serve".

A local newspaper forecast that the three or four (?) elected PN contestants could be Dr Busuttil, Dr Drake, Mr Casa and/or Anton Tabone from Gozo. This is what the PN think might be the result. As to the rest, I can only advise my political colleagues to work harder against the party's machinery.

Flanked by the head of the Popular Party Group in the EU, the party that is being investigated for having no clear political principles within the EU grouping, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that the electorate should vote for the PN candidates not only because of their expertise and experience in the workings of the EU, but also because these candidates believed in a united Europe. Well, yet, Dr Gonzi failed to even make one single reference to Malta and its citizens. Why worry about Malta now!

As an ordinary citizen may I ask what will Malta within the EU obtain, say with regard to the issue of neutrality, to mention but one example? Will our neutrality really be totally safeguarded? The eight candidates on the PN list ought to find out before contesting.

I also ask: How will the PN candidates fight to secure the best out of the EU for Maltese citizens?

And, turning to a fiscal issue, since when we join the EU there will no longer be Maltese Customs but EU Customs, what will this mean when it is acknowledged that millions of liri which Customs used to channel to the Maltese exchequer will now be forwarded to a European fund instead? What will happen with such funds then?

Isn't it a shame that the PN candidates have not yet mentioned anything of this to the citizens of Malta? How would the people of this island feel were they to be informed that their government has to propose a project in order to qualify for EU funding which money would in fact come from the contribution that the Maltese exchequer would be making to the EU? Doesn't that amount to fake funding by the EU?

Now, it's no longer the Malta Labour Party that has to come up with answers. It rests on Dr Gonzi's circle of mighty professionals to free the citizens of these islands from the whipping they are about to suffer.

Dr Farrugia is a Labour MP.