Ellul Bonici to contest Euro elections

Sharon Ellul Bonici, who unsuccessfully contested last April's general election as a Labour Party candidate, formally announced her candidacy for the European Parliament elections yesterday, less than 24 hours after outgoing MLP general secretary Jimmy Magro became the first to do so. Both will contest under the MLP banner.

Ellul Bonici was the best known face in the anti-EU membership campaign after Alfred Sant and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, having been in the leadership of the Campaign for National Independence (CNI) and the No2Europe group.

In a short statement yesterday, she said that in view of the fact that next May Malta will become a member of the European Union, as well as the fact that the Malta Labour Party had clearly shown its intention to officially participate within the Union's institutions, she was submitting her candidacy for the European Parliament elections in June 2004 on behalf of the MLP.

"If elected, in loyalty to our party, I hope to be able to serve our country and the electors I represent by standing up for the causes we believe in whenever these are jeopardised, and by communicating the facts as they stand out in all circumstances.

"I take this opportunity to thank all those who gave me their support and urged me to make this move," she said.