[WATCH] MEPs talk defence, environment and interpreters shortage in KSU debate
MaltaToday and Lovin Malta team up with KSU for the first in a series of five #Ewropej2024 debates for this year’s European elections
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MEPs were grilled on increased defence spending, growing euroscepticism and a shortage of Maltese-language interpreters at EU level during a University debate organised by KSU, MUDU, MaltaToday and Lovin Malta.
The debate began with each MEP questioned on whether the EU should spend more on defence compared to other priority areas. Nationalist MEP candidate Peter Agius emphasised the importance of respecting Malta’s neutrality while advocating for involvement in defence cooperaiton initiatives like PESCO.
However, Labour MEP candidate Daniel Attard said the Labour Party is against increased funding of defence and armaments. “In the EU, our position is in favour of the national interest, no matter who’s in government. We will defend our neutrality and sovereignty.”
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola said Malta must still defend itself while maintaining its neutrality status. He noted that Maltese soldiers take part in various peacekeeping missions across Europe, meaning Malta’s army is still sent on the ground in various warzones.
Meanwhile, independent candidate James Ryder advocated for a humanitarian approach to defence, instead urging support on a non-military basis. ADPD’s Mina Jack Tolu agreed that no boots should be spent on the ground, but insisted on the importance of peace-keeping missions.
Partit Abba candidate Ivan Grech Mintoff pointed out that the Maltese parliament voted in favour of Malta’s membership in Nato’s ‘Partnership for Peace’ programme. It was at this point that he went on a tirade against the set up of the debate, with only five minutes dedicated to his party but 10 minutes dedicated to the Labour and Nationalist parties.
Each candidate was allotted five minutes for each session of the debate, but the Nationalist and Labour parties had two candidates each from their camp. Partit Abba only had one candidate.
Grech Mintoff targeted KSU, calling it ‘PNPL’, as he walked off the stage and threw an egg onto the floor of the stage in Sir Temi Zammit Hall.
Students tell MEPs: Take care of our environment
During a session dedicated to questions from university organisations, one student from S-Cubed urged the candidates that more effort is needed to care for the environment.
Nationalist MEP candidate Miriana Testaferrata de Noto agreed, saying that the environment should not be politicised.
However, Cassola accused the Nationalist and Labour of being in the pockets of big developers, even pointing to Peter Agius, who has organised his own political events at venues like Montekristo Estate, which is owned by developer Charles Polidano (iċ-Ċaqnu).
Agius blamed Labour for not enforcing European environmental rules. “I want to be an MEP to ensure that the standards reach Malta,” he said.
Ryder agreed that there is a problem of enforcement. “I don’t mean to criticise you,” he turned to the Labour and Nationalist candidates, “but you kind of screwed it up. Year after year, a drop of rain falls and Valley Road looks like a buffalo migration across America.”
Tolu insisted that environmental restoration is an important issue that isn’t talked about a lot. They said there are several abandoned houses across Malta, and noted that nature quickly bounces back in these spaces.
Attard said the Labour Party has done a lot on the environment, but a lot more needs to be done.
Interpreters shortage at EU level
Towards the end of the debate, MEPs were questioned on how they will prioritise the Maltese language and strengthen it in the European Parliament.
Cassola immediately pointed to a lack of interpreters. “It’s not the EU’s problem, it’s our problem. Why aren’t we producing enough interpreters? Why is it that those we do produce get stuck on their exams at European level?” Attard pointed out that the working conditions of Maltese people in the European Parliament are not adequate, with the contractucal work arrangements not enough to safeguard their rights.
Ryder went a step further on the Maltese language issue and suggested that Malta tap into certain European funds to create more artistic and cultural content in Maltese. “In the 90s we weren’t just bilingual, we were trilingual. Why? Because we used to watch Simpsons and Dragon Ball Z [in Italian].”
He said one passion project he would embark on if he were to be elected is to try and develop a framework to have foreign media content dubbed in Maltese or available with Maltese subtitles.
Testaferrata di Noto admitted that there aren’t many job oppotunities for students learning Maltese at an advanced level. She said the key is to invest in the Maltese language and promote it wherever possible. She noted that KM Malta Airlines recently removed knowledge of the Maltese language as a prerequisite to work with the airline. “We need to make sure that in any national event, even on our national airline, that Maltese people can speak Maltese in that space.”
Tolu opened up about learning Maltese as a third language, saying there aren't many resources for foreigners to learn how to speak Maltese properly. "I used to be scared of speaking Maltese, but after reflecting and learning outhr languages, I figured I could try and speak Maltese here and beat my anxiety."
As part of their reporting project #Ewropej2024, MaltaToday and Lovin Malta teamed up with the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) and the Malta University Debating Union (MUDU) for the first in a series of five debates for this year’s European elections.
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