Maltese delegates to speak in Maltese

Six Maltese MPs are to take part in a special session of the European Parliament later this month and will speak in Maltese.

In addition to over 700 Euro MPs, 214 MPs from candidate countries will be present.

David Harley, the spokesman of the parliament's president, said the session would be held between November 18 and 19, and discuss "the enlargement debate in the presence of candidate countries".

The EU's 11 official languages and the nine newly recognised official languages, including Maltese, will be used and translated into other languages.

The session is being seen as "a rehearsal of what the European Parliament would be like when the accession countries join".

The cost of organising the meeting was estimated to be in the region of 1.2 million euros (over half a million liri).

Mr Harley said the European Parliament would take a vote on each accession country sometime in spring after the 10 individual accession treaties were ready.