Malta’s six representatives in the European Parliament have come together to jointly nominate Charmaine Gauci, her team and all healthcare professionals and volunteers who helped coordinate Malta’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for the 2020 European Citizens’ Prize. 

The six MEPs – Miriam Dalli, Roberta Metsola, Alfred Sant, David Casa, Alex Agius Saliba and Josianne Cutajar – nominated Professor Gauci and her team as representatives of the hundreds of frontline healthcare workers and volunteers in Malta and Gozo. 

The MEPs said Gauci’s inspirational leadership during the worst of the coronavirus meant Malta and Gozo were able to “flatten the curve” and mitigate the spread of the contagion. 

"Gauci and her team have demonstrated the very best of Maltese and European values in advocating a science-based approach to healthcare and contagion containment measures. They are exceptional representatives of the capacity of Malta's healthcare response to the pandemic and deserve to be recognised," they said.

Gauci is an associate professor at the University of Malta. She is a member of the advisory forum of the European Centre for Disease Control, as well as a member of the team set up by the European Commission President so that the EU can respond to the pandemic with a coordinated policy.

Each year, the European Parliament recognises people and organisations who have excelled in their contribution to society. In support of the work carried out by Maltese citizens, Malta’s MEPs make it a point to jointly nominate a deserving citizen, project or cause. This year, the European Parliament has encouraged nominations for people helping with the COVID-19 pandemic.