Roberta Metsola’s First Official Visit To Malta As European Parliament President Happens Tomorrow
Tomorrow, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will be visiting Malta for the first time since her historic election to the prestigious post.
During her visit to Malta, Metsola will meet with President George Vella at the palace in San Anton. She will also be meeting members of the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia, during a visit to the site where the journalist was assassinated in Bidnija.
“It is important to the European Parliament that we reach out to people in all Member States and bring the European project closer – that is the aim of my visit to Malta. Of course, on a personal note, I could not be more pleased to be coming home to Malta and Gozo on an official visit and am very much looking forward to my discussion with President George Vella,” Metsola said.
“During my visit, I will reiterate the European Parliament’s commitment to upholding the fundamental values of the European Union and I will represent the European Parliament by laying flowers at the site of the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The majority of people, including in Malta and Gozo, want a stronger role for the European Parliament. This is also my ambition, and I will continue to work to strengthen our European democracy, always putting people at the centre of our decision-making.”
Metsola, a major figure within the Nationalist Party, needs little introduction to a Maltese audience.
Metsola got elected to the European Parliament in 2013, ten years after she first got into EU politics after Simon Busuttil relinquished his MEP post to become leader of the Nationalist Party.
A year later, she retained her seat after winning over 32,000 first-count votes at the next MEP election, making her the PN’s most popular candidate and the second most popular national candidate. She increased that margin by the time 2019 rolled around.
In November 2020, Metsola was elected as First Vice-President of the European Parliament replacing Mairead McGuinness who became European Commissioner.
In January 2022, she went one step further, winning an election to become the President of the European Parliament, the most prestigious role a Maltese person ever had on the international stage.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
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