MEP Roberta Metsola was this evening awarded the MEP of the Year award for her work on justice and civil liberties issues in Europe.

Dr Metsola was one of three MEPs originally nominated for the award, the other two hailing from Germany and Poland.

The announcement was made during a ceremony in Brussels this evening.

Addressing participants via video-link, Dr Metsola thanked all her MEP colleagues who voted for her. She underlined that cooperation and compromise was essential for the European Parliament to make a real difference in people's everyday lives.

"No MEP and no political group alone could achieve anything by themselves. We cannot be entrenched in our positions and need to continue to work together in the best interests of the people we represent," she said. 

Dr Metsola is currently in Washington participating in talks on Justice and Home Affairs issues between a European Parliament delegation and their United States counterparts so was unable to attend the event. Two young Maltese graduates collected the award on her behalf.

The 'MEP of the Year' award is organised by The Parliament Magazine, a Brussels-based publication that focuses on European affairs. MEPs are nominated in different categories and are voted for by other MEPs.