European Parliament President and Nationalist Party MEP Roberta Metsola will be addressing the party’s annual mass meeting on Wednesday, on the eve of Independence Day.
She was invited to do so by party leader Bernard Grech.
“The Nationalist Party believes in an independent and European Malta. Therefore, as there is a Maltese in one of the highest positions within the European Union, I felt it would be appropriate to invite Roberta Metsola to address the Independence Mass Meeting,” Grech told Times of Malta when asked to confirm the invitation.
“I encourage the Maltese and Gozitan people to attend the Independence Day festivities, where we will be sharing ideas for various sectors, but above all the Nationalist Party’s policies for a better life in our country,” he added.
Metsola has been making a name for herself and Malta since she was elected as the youngest-ever president of the European Parliament and the first woman in the role for two decades.
She took on the European Parliament's most senior job a month before Russia invaded Ukraine. She has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine's efforts and became the first president of an EU institution to visit Kyiv after the lethal invasion.
Metsola has also faced the so-called 'Qatargate' corruption scandal, vowing to tighten transparency rules after Belgian police arrested MEPs in a cash-for-influence probe in December.
This week, Metsola made it to TIME magazine’s list of 100 upcoming influential people.
Writing an appreciation of her in TIME, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had worked "tirelessly" to make European institutions better and more transparent.
She said that Metsola’s efforts have made it clear that “politicians have to be role models”.
“Whenever she travels to one of the bloc’s 27 member states, whatever the issues on the agenda, she always finds time to meet with local people. And she repeats a powerful message: Get involved. Do not ever give in to cynicism. You can be the engine of change.”
Metsola is one of several individuals listed under the Leaders category, alongside several other international politicians, including Italy’s Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein and white, gay South African mayor Chris Pappas, who was elected in a municipality that is three-quarters black.
Metsola was re-elected in the 2019 European elections with a massive 38,000 votes.
She will be contesting next year's European Parliament elections on the Nationalist Party ticket.