The endorsement unanimously made by the six Maltese MEPs nominating the “Malta Band Clubs Association” for the European Citizens Prize for 2016 has been arbitrarily reversed by the awards committee for the prize of the European Parliament, without any consultation. Maltese MEP Alfred Sant expressed his deep disquiet at this decision in a letter sent to Martin Schultz, President of the European Parliament.
Dr Sant told Mr Schultz that he completely fails to understand how the European Citizens awards committee could so blithely overlook the considerations which led to the selection endorsed by the full caucus of Maltese MEPs. “Presumably, they did this following a few minutes of deliberations from the distance of Brussels and with scant knowledge of the Maltese context. Surely, decisions such as this place the European Parliament in a very bad light, at a time when European institutions are being seen as too distant, overpowering and elitist by many voters in our member states – a problem which I know, is a source of deep concern to you. I would appreciated your views on the above”, remarked Dr Sant.
For the year 2016, the Malta Band Clubs Association had been endorsed by the six Maltese MEPs for the following reasons:
–year after year, voluntary organization in the field of social and health care had been selected, so the time had come to diversify towards the cultural field;
–band clubs in Malta constitute a network of non-profit making societies covering practically all the island. They are active in mobilizing communities together at grass roots level by organizing, on an ongoing basis concerts, marches, village festas, church ceremonies and music classes and competitions, thereby serving to propagate musical knowledge and culture.
–a huge amount of time and effort is dedicated to their operations which are totally run by volunteers coming from all points of the political spectrum. According to the latest statistical survey, over 10 per cent of the population have some involvement in these avtivities, in an impressive display of social cohesion.
Dr Sant said that admittedly the organization chosen by the committee is a worthy one and the Maltese MEPs had agreed to endorse it in the year 2017.

Letter to Martin Schulz – ECP – 03.06.2016

Maltese Version – “L-ASSOĊJAZZJONI TAL-BANED MALTIN” IMĊAĦĦDA MILL-PREMJU ĊITTADIN EWROPEW 2016

“L-ASSOĊJAZZJONI TAL-BANED MALTIN” ġiet imċaħħda mill-Premju Ċittadin Ewropew 2016 minkejja li s-sitt Membri Parlamentari Maltin b’mod unanimu innominaw lil din l-Assoċjazzjoni għall-Premju Ċittadin Ewropew ta’ din is-sena. Il-Kumitat tal-Għoti tal-Premijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew caħħad dan il-premju lill-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija mingħajr ebda konsultazzjoni mal-MPE Maltin. Il-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Alfred Sant wera d-diżappunt tiegħu għal din id-deċiżjoni f’ittra li bagħat lil Martin Schultz, il-President tal-Parlament Ewropew.
Dr Sant qal lil Schultz li ma jistax jifhem kif il-Kumitat tal-Għoti tal-Premju Ċittadin Ewropew sfaċċatament injora r-riflessjoni li saret mis-sitt MPE Maltin biex flimkien approvaw l-għażla tagħhom. “Qed nassumi li dan għamluh wara li qiesu n-nomina għal ftit minuti, mill-bogħod ta’ Brussell u bi ftit għarfien tal-kuntest Malti. Żgur li deċiżjonijiet ta’ dan it-tip jitfgħu lill- Parlament Ewropew f’dawl ikrah, fi żmien meta l-istituzzjonijiet Ewropej qed ikunu meqjusa mill-votanti Ewropej bħala distanti, elitisti u b’wisq poter – problema li naf li qed tinkwetak. Nixtieq inkun naf l-opinjoni tiegħek dwar dan.” qal Dr Sant fl-ittra lil Schultz.
L-Assoċjazzjoni tal-Baned Maltin kienet approvata mis-sitt Membri Parlamentari Maltin għall-premju tas-sena 2016 għal dawn ir-raġunijiet:
–sena wara l-oħra, intgħażlu organizzazzjonijiet volontarji fil-qasam soċjali u dak tas-saħħa, issa l-waqt għal bidla lejn is-settur kulturali;
–l-għaqdiet tal-banda f’Malta jwettqu ħidma mingħajr qligħ u jiffurmaw xibka ta’ soċjetajiet, mifruxa tul il-gżejjer Maltin. Huma attivi u jgħaqqdu l-komunitajiet flimkien billi b’mod regolari jorganizzaw kunċerti, marċijiet, festi fl-irħula, ċerimonji reliġjużi u lezzjonijiet u kompetizzjonijiet tal-mużika. Dawn iservu biex jiżdied l-għarfien mużikali u kulturali.
–jiddedikaw ħafna ħin u enerġija għal dawn l-attivitajiet li jsiru totalment mill-voluntieri, ġejjin minn oqsma politiċi differenti. Skont l-aħħar statistika, aktar minn 10% tal-popolazzjoni tinvolvi ruħha f’dawn l-attivitajiet, xhieda ta’ għaqda nazzjonali.
Dr Sant stqarr li huwa minnu li l-organizzazzjoni magħżula din is-sena mill-Kumitat tal-Għoti tal-Premijiet kien jistħoqqilha l-premju. Infatti l-Membri Parlamentari Ewropej approvawha għas-sena 2017.

Letter to Martin Schulz – ECP – 03.06.2016

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