MEP candidates who gathered to debate in the halls of the University of Malta, did so to mostly empty seats on Thursday, with the event failing to draw many students, despite lectures being suspended during the event. 

The debate, organised by KSU, Lovin Malta and MaltaToday saw eight candidates from across Malta's political spectrum talk defence spending, language, the environment and even dwindling student activism.

PL candidate Daniel Attard denied that there is an apathy problem among young people, citing his own career as proof of such. 

“At 20, I was elected mayor. I saw people from Labour’s youth wing, people from KSU; I think giving the impression that young people are not interested is not factual,” he said. 

But independent James Ryder Muscat immediately jumped to contradict his reasoning, pointing out that barely anyone had shown up for the debate itself. 

In the spacious Sir Temi Zammit Hall, which typically hosts some of the university's more crowded events such as graduations, only a handful of the rows in the theatre's central section was taken up by attendees. 

“You say there is interest among young people, but look at the theatre," he said, pointing to the empty seats.

"There is no excuse because lectures are suspended, the apathy is evident in the lack of filled seats,” he said. 

The comedian said he wants to attract young people to politics but also said he wants to promote the use of Maltese. 

“I want Malta to make use of creative EU funds to dubb popular cartoons to Maltese, as a way to improve children’s Maltese,” he said. 

Discussing the state of the environment locally, independent candidate Arnold Cassola said it is useless to implement initiatives such as the environmental restoration law when the government was busy making plans to "needlessly" uproot 200 trees in Marsalforn. 

He also accused Malta's largest political parties of being in the pockets of powerful developers. 

“What sense does a restoration law make when the two parties are in the hands of Portelli, Stivala, db (Group), and Montekristo,” he said referring to Malta’s largest developers.

Such groups secure favour by giving politicians free use of their venues, he claimed. 

He said that it's absurd that companies like Fortina and Polidano Group take away land from the public and then have their projects inaugurated by the prime minister, with the opposition leader invited as a guest. 

Attard countered that the government has undertaken several initiatives to improve the environment, such as the shore-to-ship project, which "drastically" improved air quality. 

However, the PN’s Peter Agius said that Malta needs to use EU funds to achieve better environmental goals.

“In Denmark, EU funds were used for electric-powered ships to ferry people between islands; in Malta, we got a block of rust,” he said, referring to the Nikolaus - the fourth ferry shuttling on the Gozo Chanel.  

EU legislation on the environment counts for nothing unless it is respected and enforced in Malta, he said. 

His PN colleague  Miriana Calleja Testaferrata De Noto said the environment should not be politicised and enjoying the environment should be a right. 

Of the eight candidates who participated in Thursday’s debate, PN and PL were each represented by two candidates, with one each from ADPD and ABBA, with the rest being independent candidates. 

However, ABBA candidate Ivan Grech Mintoff was unhappy with the time distribution, storming out of the venue early, but not before hurling an egg to the floor in protest. 

Each candidate was given a total of 15 minutes to make their points. 

In a discussion on the EU’s defence policy, Attard stood by his party's line, saying the PL wants "peace, not war".

He said PN MEP candidate and EP president Roberta Metsola wants money spent on arms and missiles.

We should invest in dialogue and diplomacy instead," Attard said.

He said he would always consider Malta’s national interest if elected to the European Parliament, particularly if the bloc is to consider adding Ukraine to the Union in the near future. 

Peter Agius said Europe should respect Malta's neutrality but invest in defence. "We cannot see Putin's aggression and not help Ukraine," he said. 

He said Maltese soldiers should participate in international training organized by PESCO- an EU defence cooperation initiative promoting military integration and collaboration.

When the topic shifted to mental health, PL’s Marija Sara Vella Gafa said she would work for EU policies that make property more affordable in Malta and focus on improving mental health services in communities. 

Mina Jack Tolu, running on the ADPD’s tickets, said the EU should buy mental health medication as a single bloc. 

“Because Malta is so small, people are paying more for their medication,” they said.

Mental health treatment, including therapy, is too expensive, and government waiting lists are too long, they added. 

Independent candidate Conrad Borg Manche, who was not on the debate panel but was given two minutes from the floor, said that stressful environments across Malta's localities are also causing mental health issues. 

“Malta has turned into one main road,” he said. 

Borg Manche, who quit the Labour Party last year, said more students should be interested and active in political issues. “Abroad students organise protests, when I organised a demonstration over a petrol station in Manoel Island I expected more students,” he said. 

PN candidate Peter Agius said the courses for Maltese interpreters need to improve because not enough interpreters are taking up posts in the EU. 

He said it's “shameful” that EU court cases are brought to the EU in the English language, not in Maltese.

“Only Malta does this,” he said. 

He also said more Maltese people should be working in the EU, pointing out that out of 32,262 officials at the European Commission, only 176 are Maltese.