The Q&A: Meet Marija Sara Vella Gafa

Is the EU relevant to the Maltese?

Without a doubt. EU membership has renewed Malta’s geopolitical relevance as a small island state in the Mediterranean. It has led to fundamental political, economic, and social developments. In today’s day and age, the EU is more important than ever in promoting economic stability. With global conflicts around us, it's clear we need to focus on Europe's own economic growth and reduce dependencies. The EU helps maintain peace and security among its Member States, preventing conflicts through cooperation. It also plays a key role in international affairs, as seen with Malta's OSCE chairmanship, and sets high standards for human rights, social welfare, and environmental protection. Europe leads in research and innovation, funds important programmes, and manages crises like climate change, migration, and pandemics with coordinated efforts. Labour representatives have consistently shown leadership in these areas, unlike those who push for wars and criticise aid during times of hardship.

The Maltese electorate is motivated by issues which are local and often partisan, does this not make it more difficult for you to campaign?

I disagree. The issues facing the Maltese are not all unique to us. Our society is evolving and learning to navigate its own economic progress, which comes with challenges. Like any other relatively young nation, we have our difficulties: Our size, the fact that we are an island, and that for many years we were led by other countries until a Labour government obtained freedom for us all. Today, only 45 years later, we are receiving one economic certificate after another, confirming us as the best performers among our neighbours and even superpowers.

My campaigning is only made easier by those making puerile arguments and trying to paint everything in darker hues. Those who use nostalgia as a political weapon imply, without saying it directly, that they want to turn back the clock to a time when women’s place was at home, when jobs were scarce, when we had fewer graduates, when traveling was seen as a luxury, and when we looked up to other countries, dreaming of living their lifestyle. Today, we live much better in our own country.

Malta has a small representation in the European Parliament, can we be influential?

The small size of our country does not diminish the influence we have through strong Euro-Parliamentary Members. What matters is having the best interests of the country at heart. As an MEP, listening to the Maltese and Gozitans and being their voice in Europe can make a significant difference. In the European Parliament, MPs have a lot of flexibility in how they vote – they can follow their conscience, vote according to their country's interests, or adhere to the party's line. Some even vote against their country’s interests!

While Malta has only six MEPs, each member’s vote in committees such as those on the environment, health, and transport carries the same weight as those from larger countries. When Malta held the presidency, no one suggested overtaking us because of our small size. Therefore, we must not think that our size determines our impact. Instead, we should make the right choice by voting for Labour candidates who prioritise our country's needs.

Why are you so motivated to stand as a member of the European Parliament?

I am motivated because meeting people has shown me how much work there is to do. I chose my themes after consulting with the people themselves. My political purpose is to listen to and act on what people are telling me, after carefully studying the situation. First of all, I stress the importance of investing much more in mental health education. Here, we can truly make better use of European funds. Another important topic is the need for more funds specifically dedicated to affordable housing. When a person or couple is buying their first home, there should be no stress related to financial problems. We need to consolidate European schemes and introduce strong financial education programmes starting at an early age in our schools. Additionally, a major issue affecting many citizens is the red tape experienced with local banks. It is unacceptable that services continue to become more difficult while bank tariffs constantly rise. We can examine good European practices and implement them in our country so that people, like you and me, do not give up before they even reach the bank's doorstep. These are but a few motivating factors... there’s so much more to discuss!