Roberta Metsola and David Casa elected EPP group coordinators

Nationalist Party MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa were both elected coordinators of their respective parliamentary committees at the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Metsola was elected coordinator of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee, while David Casa will be the coordinator in the Employment and Social Affairs committee.

In a statement, the EPP said that Metsola’s position comes after she was chosen to lead negotiations on behalf of the EPP group for the programme of priorities for the EU over the next five years.

Metsola expressed her satisfaction at being elected to the new role.

“It is an honour for me as someone representing Malta and Gozo to have been entrusted with this position,” Metsola said of her new role, adding that it meant she would be able to put a “Maltese stamp” on crucial European legislation over the next five years.

“We will continue to punch above our weight in Europe and continue to overcome Malta’s geographic realities.”

The MEP, who obtained the most PN votes in the MEP elections, said that the issues her committee dealt with were “politically sensitive, emotive and always at the top of citizens’ concerns”.

“Be it security, terrorism, migration, asylum, rule of law, citizenship, privacy, borders, civil liberties or fundamental rights, our citizens look to us for answers,” Metsola added.

She said it was within the ethos of the EPP that answers to questions people were asking could be found. Metsola stressed that the EPP needed to “distinguish itself from the left and from the far-right side of the house”.

Casa’s role will see him leading his group’s MEPs on legislation regarding working conditions, social affairs and parental leave.

He said the issues dealt with by the group were an “important area” for both the EPP and the PN, insisting that he would continue to ensure that the right balance is found between the employees’ and business’ rights.

Casa emphasised that the rights provided by the work life balance directive, which he piloted during the last legislature, should be implemented as soon as possible.

“When it comes to improving the quality of life of families and workers, we cannot afford to lose more time. During this legislature, we will continue to adopt new laws which will improve working conditions as well as to ensure that families spend enough time with each other,” Casa said.