Prime Minister touring European capitals: first stop in Paris, Dublin next

Had a very focused and productive meeting on @EU2017MT with #France President @fhollande -JM #Malta @Elysee

— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) November 28, 2016

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has kicked off a whirlwind tour of seven EU member states ahead of Malta’s Presidency of the European Council.

Accompanied by deputy prime minister Louis Grech and parliamentary secretary Ian Borg, Muscat will be meeting heads of states to discuss Malta’s priorities and the agenda of its Presidency. The six-month stint at the helm of EU Council is a first for Malta.

The delegation’s first stop was in Paris, France, where Muscat held “a very focused and productive meeting” with French President Francois Hollande.

Muscat will today visit Dublin, Ireland, and travel to Germany, Estonia, Poland, Denmark and Hungary in the next three days.

The Maltese presidency will be focusing on a number of core issues that it will seek to pursue with the other EU member states. Migration, the single market, security, social inclusion, Europe’s neighbourhood and the maritime industry have been listed as top priorities.

Entretien du président @fhollande avec le Premier ministre maltais @JosephMuscat_JM ce matin à l'Élysée https://t.co/g66SNayJxv pic.twitter.com/F9guJITM2p

— Élysée (@Elysee) November 28, 2016