MEP denies wanting House co-option

Incumbent Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri has announced he will sue for defamation the Nationalist Party media over claims carried in their TV broadcast, print and online news, that he was after taking Marie Louise Coleiro Preca’s soon-to-be-vacated seat in parliament.

Coleiro Preca will vacate her seat in the House once she is voted in as President of the Republic.

Cuschieri, who gave up his seat in parliament for the co-option of Joseph Muscat to Opposition leader, was elected MEP in 2009 but only took his seat in Brussels in 2012 due to the delayed approval for additional seats in the European Parliament.

Cuschieri said the PN media’s claims were “inventions and lies” that had been made in a bid at damaging his political reputation.

“It is a lie that I asked for, or that I am expecting, the parliamentary seat that Coleiro Preca will cede once she resigns from the House. Not only is this a lie, but I am publicly declaring that I would refuse such a [co-option] – I only serve in representative mandates if I get elected by the people, and not by any other way.”

The PN media also alleged that Cuschieri was reportedly against the holding of a casual election for Coleiro Preca’s seat, in which former MP Charles Mangion – today chairman of the Enemalta Corporation – was expected to be returned from.