'My credibility was not affected' - Cuschieri on U-turn

It is not exactly clear what Joseph Cuschieri was told, but whatever his leader said was enough to convince him to change his mind and run for the European Parliament elections.

Cuschieri is adamant that this U-turn has in no way affected his credibility adding that the matter was now “a closed chapter”.

It took months of speculation before Labour’s head of the EP delegation publicly declared he had no interest in contesting the May elections – only to submit his nomination 72 hours later.

Accusing the Labour Party’s machinery of “unfairness”, Cushcieri said the PL had wanted him “on the losers’ side”. 

But it now appears that Prime Minister and Labour leader Joseph Muscat convinced him otherwise. Refusing to divulge the details of the private meeting, Cuschieri said Muscat had understood his “concerns” and a “solution” was found.

“It’s now time to start writing a new chapter. We talked about the problem and a solution was found. I thank the Prime Minister for the excellent relationship we enjoy… It’s now time to work for another Labour victory,” Cuschieri told MaltaToday.

Cuschieri gave up his parliamentary seat in 2008 so that Muscat could be co-opted to the House and become Opposition leader. 

Cuschieri became the sixth Maltese MEP in 2011 when Malta was given its sixth seat.

The Labour MEP said he was “satisfied” by Muscat’s reaction during a meeting the two held, insisting that the party always came first.

“I was always loyal to the party and it’s natural that disagreements arise. This is not a party that kicks you out if you air your disagreements. Labour is a democratic party,” he added.

Aware that his comments against the party will not be easily forgotten, Cuschieri said “one cannot please everybody in life”.

Refusing to go into details on why he felt he had been pushed to the “losers’ side” – later admitting that a lot of campaigning remained to be done by the party – the 46-year-old MEP said he had nothing else to add.

Categorically denying that Muscat promised him something in return for submitting his candidature, Cuschieri also rebutted suggestions that the incident had affected his credibility.

 “I don’t think credibility has anything to do with it. A person is not credible when he is dishonest.”

Cuschieri confirmed that he is still employed with the Labour Party, adding that he declared this in the European Parliament's declaration of financial interests.