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€0.90 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 9 APRIL 2014 • ISSUE 359 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY Newspaper post Editorial - PAGE 11 Cuschieri: 'Labour wanted me on the losers' side' INCUMBENT Labour MEP Joseph Cuschieri has quelled months of speculation over his future as an MEP, after announcing that he will not contest the forthcoming MEP elections. But he was clear in his accusation that he felt the Labour Party was not treating his potential candidature on the same footing as that of other candidates, suggesting that the party did not want him to be a successful candidate. "I have always won my elections… but the party seemed to want me on the losers' side," Cuschieri said on Xejk TV programme Frux. Cuschieri was adamant to use this programme as the platform to an- nounce he was not contesting: he tweeted the press minutes before the start of the programme. The MEP, Malta's sixth MEP in the latest enlargement of the European Parliament, said he would not contest the forthcoming elections claiming "unfairness" on the part of Labour's party machine. He said that although he had spo- ken to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in recent months about this perceived unfairness, "nothing has changed". "I was focused on very important challenges to our national interest – such as irregular immigration, the EP resolution on citizenship for exam- ple… that left you no time to do any canvassing at home… "But I saw that it was unfair that I was not being given due attention by the campaign team during the build- up to the MEP elections," Cuschieri said. Although he did not refer to them by name, candidates like Miriam Dalli and Cyrus Engerer were said to have enjoyed extensive media cover- age on the Labour party television and radio station. "There are candidates who abused of the party machine. These candi- dates took advantage of the situation. I feel disappointed since each and every candidate had to be given the same treatment and no one ought to be privileged or disadvantaged." Although Cuschieri said he spoke to Joseph Muscat and Labour presi- dent Daniel Micallef about what he felt was discrimination, nothing had changed. "I was, still am and will continue support the Labour party. I still be- lieve in our Prime Minister," Cusch- ieri said. "However, nothing changed and I felt that I should not contest since the Labour Party wanted me on the los- ers' side. "I never participated in an election where the result is already fixed. In these circumstances, there was no fairness in the European Parliament election. That's why I will not contest the European Parliament elections." In 2008, Joseph Cuschieri gave up his parliamentary seat so that Labour leaderJoseph Muscat could be co- opted to the House and become Op- position leader. Cuschieri became the sixth Maltese MEP in 2011 when he recieved confirmation that he will finally take his seat in the European Parliament, after waiting for three years for the full ratification of the extra MEPs to be welcomed into the EP. Labour's approved candidates are MP Deborah Schembri, Cyrus En- gerer, Peter Cordina, Lino Bianco, Ivan Grixti, Clint Camilleri, Mario Farrugia Borg andFleur Vella. Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant, ONE presenter Miriam Dalli, Engerer and MEP Marlene Mizzi are considered to be among the favourite top four for election. Minister says traffic incident should have been publicised Incumbent MEP Joe Cuschieri says Labour Party sidelined him, making it impossible for him to contest elections fairly JUSTICE minister Owen Bonnici has conceded that a minor traffic incident in which he was involved, should have been made public by his own ministry. Bonnici yesterday was forced to issue a statement on a traffic ac- cident that led to the hospitalisa- tion of a motorist, after National- ist Party media claimed that police had not issued a regular statement on the accident. "In retrospect I believe that I had to issue a statement earlier. But I didn't issue the press release in good faith to respect the privacy of the person in question, as re- quested." The incident happened at around 9pm last Thursday, 3 March, when Bonnici was driving his personal car towards Marsa. Bonnici was driving round the bend just outside the Santa Venera tunnels when he crashed into a car that was station- ary and located in a dangerous spot. Bonnici hit the stationary car, which in turn hit the driver who was standing outside his car. Bonnici said that his primary concern was the man's health. "I can confirm that after two days recovering in hospital, the person involved was discharged from hos- pital and is resting at home. I was always in contact with his rela- tives. His relatives asked for their privacy to be respected and that's what I did." Late on Monday evening, Bonnici issued a statement after the PN me- dia reported that he was involved in a traffic incident that led to the hospitalization of a motorist. Bonnici issued a statement after maltarightnow.com reported that two men were injured during the incident. In actual fact, only one person was hospitalised. Asked why no statement had been issued by the police's communica- tions office, Bonnici said he did not "interfere" with police procedures. "Throughout this whole unfor- tunate incident, the normal police procedures were followed and I fully cooperated with the authori- ties. In fact, I will face normal court procedures in a traffic sit- ting," Bonnici said. The minister said that usually the police issue a statement when the person involved in a traffic ac- cident is in a critical condition, al- though the police's community and media relations unit (CMYR) issue a statement even when individuals have suffered minor injuries. Cuschieri: I have always won my elections… but the party seemed to want me on the losers' side In retrospect I believe that I had to issue a statement earlier

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