Employment Of Metsola’s Husband Was Already Recorded On Transparency Register
The employment of European Parliament President Roberta Metsola’s husband was already recorded on the transparency register, a spokesperson for the European Parliament (EP) told Lovin Malta.
“The employment of the president’s spouse is neither new nor has it been revealed today. It has been duly registered and made public in the EU’s Transparency Register,” an EP spokesperson told the newsroom.
Earlier today, Politico raised questions about the scope of the code of ethics, saying that MEPs shouldn’t be the only parliamentary members who should have to declare any potential conflicts of interest – the president should too especially since her husband is a key lobbyist for the Royal Caribbean Group – the world’s second-largest cruise ship company.
This resulted in some criticism, mainly from Maltese politicians, about Metsola not previously declaring her marriage as a conflict of interest.
“The President has always followed all Parliament’s rules on declarations, and conflict of interest rigorously, both in the spirit and the letter of the rules.
“The mentioned changes to Parliament’s Code of Conduct have been drafted by MEPs in Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs and approved by Members in the Plenary.”
“The President has always used her office for the sole reason of representing the interests of the European Parliament. Parliament refutes, in the strongest possible terms, any conjectures alleging otherwise,” the spokesperson concluded.
It must be noted that Metsola plays no part in drafting and voting on legislations. The committees draw up, amend and adopt legislative proposals and own-initiative reports while MEPs vote in favour or against resolutions. That means that the code of conduct would not have passed if the majority of parliament members weren’t in agreement with its contents.
The Code of Conduct was a reform built on a 14-point plan drafted by Metsola to prevent future corruption and bolster transparency within the EU following the 2022 Qatargate scandal that shocked the institution.
It demands — among other things — that the Parliament’s senior members declare conflicts of interest, including any “involving his or her family, emotional life or economic interest.”
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