MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gibraltar hosts Liberal MPs from 22 EU countries

The Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) began this week a three day meeting in Gibraltar under the theme of “Gibraltar in the EU”.

ALDE is the third largest group in the European Parliament and comprises over 100 MEPs from 22 different EU countries. In a statement, a spokesman for the Gibraltar Liberal Party said: "The Group is led by South West England and Gibraltar MEP Graham Watson and the event has been coordinated through the Gibraltar Liberals who are led by Dr Joseph Garcia. This will be the largest gathering of Members of the European Parliament ever to have taken place in Gibraltar and it is the first time that the bureau of any of the groups has chosen Gibraltar as a venue for its meeting." The Bureau of ALDE is the main decision making body of the organisation and it is composed of all the leaders of the respective national delegations. The Bureau oversees the group's main strategy and policies. The spokesman continued: "A total of 29 persons will be coming to Gibraltar for the conference including 13 MEPs from 12 different EU countries. They include members of Parliamentary Committees on Foreign Affairs, Budgetary Control, Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Public Health and Food Safety, Economic and Monetary Affairs, Culture, and International Trade. "The conference will be formally opened with welcoming addresses from the Deputy Chief Minister Joe Holliday and the Leader of the Liberal Party Dr Joseph Garcia who will give a historical address on Gibraltar in the EU. "Guest speakers will analyse Gibraltar in Europe from a number of different standpoints. Mr Holliday will brief delegates on the economy and the Port, and separately, Federation of Small Businesses Vice President Marie Lou Guerrero will look at the business angle. Leader of the Opposition Joe Bossano will give an address on the intricacies of Gibraltar's EU membership, while the Commander British Forces Matt Parr will examine Gibraltar in relation to the military and security aspects. "In other sessions, a number of liberal issues as they affect Gibraltar will be discussed by the participants following addresses by relevant panellists. These will include the Chairman of human rights group GGR Felix Alvarez on human rights matters, the President of the Moroccan Community Association Ali Douissi on immigration and related matters, and Mrs Janet Howitt from the Environmental Safety Group on the environment. Every issue will be linked to the theme of the conference which is Gibraltar in the EU. "The delegates will also pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Parliament Haresh Budhrani and will attend a dinner hosted by the Chief Minister Peter Caruana." Leader of the Liberal Party Dr Joseph Garcia said: "Gibraltar owes great debt of gratitude to Graham Watson who has been instrumental in bringing this conference. There are many MEPs who have come across Gibraltar issues in the course of their business in the European Parliament. There is no doubt that having come here and learnt about the situation at first hand will place them in a better position whenever Gibraltar comes up again in the future." For his part Liberal Democrat Graham Watson, the Leader of ALDE said: "I am delighted to be able to visit my constituents in Gibraltar once again and to have been able to bring colleagues from other countries out to the Rock. Gibraltar is an important part of my constituency and throughout this term I have taken every opportunity to defend Gibraltar's corner in the European Parliament." (Gibraltar Chronicle).-