PN invites biologist to be MEP candidate

Environmentalist Alan Deidun is mulling over a request by the Nationalist Party to contest the forthcoming European Parliament election on its ticket, The Times has learned.

Dr Deidun would "neither confirm nor deny" his candidature when contacted yesterday but sources close to the PN said he was expected to announce his intention in the next few days.

Dr Deidun, a biologist and lecturer at the University, was recently appointed to chair a PN focus group to discuss climate change.

If he goes ahead with his candidature it will be the first time he is committing himself to a political party.

His candidature is evidence of the PN's intention to widen its crop of MEP hopefuls to include a committed environmentalist who could possibly attract votes from within the green lobby.

Dr Deidun's PhD studies focused on the ecology of Maltese sandy beaches. He has been a regular columnist of The Sunday Times since March 2002, compiling The Green Whistle Blower column.

To date, the official list of PN MEP candidates includes Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas, Edward Demicoli, Alex Perici Calascione, Rudolph Cini and incumbents David Casa and Simon Busuttil.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com