‘She Can’t Own Up To Her Decisions’: Abela Slams Metsola Over Maltese Interpreter Letter
Prime Minister Robert Abela has accused European Parliament President Roberta Metsola of shirking responsibility over the shortage of Maltese interpreters in Brussels.
“The President of the European Parliament should not put her own shortcomings on the Government. That is why she wrote the letter – as she is incapable of owning up to her decisions, taking initiative and leading change,” a spokesperson for Abela told Lovin Malta.
Last month, Metsola sent Abela a letter to warn him that the European Parliament is finding it increasingly hard to find Maltese interpreters and translators.
This shortage means that, since 2015, the European Parliament has had to issue annual derogations to allow for only a limited translation of EP meetings and documents into Maltese.
Roberta Metsola's letter to Robert Abela
Maltese and Irish are the only two EU languages to be given this derogation.
Metsola said the European Parliament is “ready to do everything” to address this shortage of interpreters and called for further cooperation with the Maltese government to help train more people.
Abela didn’t respond to, or even acknowledge, Metsola’s letter, and PL MEP Cyrus Engerer this week slammed her for failing to ensure Maltese translation across the board.
However, Abela insisted that the responsibility for the shortage of Maltese interpreters falls squarely on the European Parliament and its work conditions.
“Government notes that the work conditions being offered to interpreters by EU institutions, including the European Parliament, could be one of the challenges that is directly influencing the situation,” he said.
“ In fact, rather than it being an issue of availability of interpreters, it is more about the contractual conditions with which interpreters are being engaged by Parliament.”
“More specifically, interpreters are being engaged as freelancers by the European Parliament and not being allocated enough work by the European Parliament to make it feasible for them.”
“This has in turn created difficulties for them to pursue a career at the European Parliament, despite their commitment to their work.”
“The Prime Minister notes that the President of the European Parliament has given up on the matter and has shifted the responsibility to the Maltese Authorities. Whilst the Prime Minister is yet to reply to the President, the Government will continue to take initiatives to strengthen the Maltese language both at home and in international institutions.”
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