Muscat: EU's €1.2 billion to Malta not at risk

UPDATED - Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today gave an assurance that the €1.12 billion allocated to Malta in the EU's Budget talks are not in risk. Addressing a joint press conference with the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, after a lunchtime meeting, Dr Muscat reacted to yesterday's EP resolution which was interpreted as a rejection of the EU Budget (The multi-annual financial framework).  The resolution criticised aspects of negotiated deal but was not an outright rejection of the seven year budget which still has to be voted upon by the EP after further negotiations. "Let me give my reassurance that we do not envisage a situation where the Maltese allocation can be jeopardised. We will be very careful about this. But our aim in the next few weeks would not simply be to adopt a passive approach but a more balanced approach where differences can be bridged," Dr Muscat said. He was given a very warm welcome by Mr Schulz who said it was an "exceptional pleasure to welcome a real friend" in these new official circumstances. He recalled working closely with Dr Muscat within the European Parliament as colleagues of the Party of European Socialists. Dr Muscat is in...