WATCH: Roberta Metsola ‘Traitor’ Jabs Must Be Left In The Past, Prime Minister Robert Abela Says Ahead Of EP Election
Roberta Metsola, the Acting President of the European Parliament, has habitually been called a traitor by people in Malta for her work within the EU. Now, Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela is insistent to such slurs need to be buried in the past.
“I wish her all the success for tomorrow. It’s true there were episodes in past, and I’m not going to stay saying who was right and who was wrong. These things belong in the past, today we look to the future,” he told Lovin Malta in a brief message from inside the EP.
He maintained that he believes that Metsola will be a strong negotiator for Malta should she be elected EP President.
@lovinmaltaofficial What do you make of Robert Abela’s comments on Roberta Metsola? 🤔 #fyp #fypmalta #lovinmalta #malta #strasbourg #europeanparliament #president ♬ original sound – Lovin Malta
Abela is in Strasbourg on an official visit ahead of Metsola’s likely election to replace the late David Sassoli as European Parliament President.
Voting will take place tomorrow morning, with the first round of votes starting at roughly 9.30am.
Metsola, who is the EPP’s candidate, seems a shoo-in for the role, however, nothing is set in stone with three other candidates vying for the position.
Metsola has made waves on the European stage since first becoming an MEP in 2013. However, while she remains popular within the PN, she has been on the receiving end of intense criticism for her work when it comes to rule of law issues in Malta.
She has been called a traitor by many political figures, including Cabinet members like Minister Silvio Schembri.
Abela and other Labour Party figures have since announced that they would be supporting Metsola in her bid. However, many PL figures, like Mario Philip Azzopardi, has lambasted them for doing so.
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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