Young candidate with "vast experience" pledges to work for youths Roberta Tedesco Triccas, a Nationalist Party candidate in the June 12 European parliament elections, said yesterday that if elected she would work towards the setting up of a committee within the EP dealing with youth, education and sport.

Dr Tedesco Triccas, who was addressing a news conference at the launch of her campaign Ghalik fl-Ewropa, said an EU commissioner was needed to deal specifically with youths.

Aged 25, Dr Tedesco Triccas, who hails from Swieqi, is one of the youngest candidates to be contesting the EP elections. She said that when Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi asked her to contest on behalf of the PN, she felt duty bound to do so as the PN believed in the principles she cherished.

In spite of her age, she said, she had vast experience in the European field, having been general secretary of the student organisation of the European People's Party.

She was also elected to the EU Affairs Commission within the European Youth Forum. Recently she was selected by former Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene to be his representative at the Convention on the Future of Europe and she was the assistant of a Danish MEP for a year.

Dr Tedesco Triccas said that although she was relatively a new face, she had given her share to the party, working with the party's electoral commission and within the Moviment Zghazagh Partit Nazzjonalista.

Dr Tedesco Triccas said that she chose the slogan Ghalik fl-Ewropa because her campaign focused on the effect EU membership would have on every individual on the Maltese islands and their particular interests.

She emphasised that all five Maltese MEPs must work together in the EU in the interests of all the Maltese and Gozitans.

"An MEP should act as a sort of ambassador and must be the link between the EU and Maltese and Gozitan citizens."

She promised to keep in contact with the electorate by opening an office, staffed by Maltese, to see to the various needs of the people.

Dr Tedesco Triccas reaffirmed her commitment to the disadvantaged people in society, saying that although the EU helped Malta update its legislation and directives, there had to be further implementation.

It is her intention to try and become part of the "all party Disability Group" presided over by Michael Howitt.

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