Arnold Cassola, AD Chairperson and MEP candidate said that AD is conducting a positive campaign and AD’s and the Greens ‘Green New Deal’ proposals on the need to invest to combat the current crises are based on studies. He said that the Greens in the European Parliament commissioned the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy to conduct a study about the viability of eco-industries. The preliminary results show that:

* The global market of eco-industries has a volume of about 1,000 billion Euros.

* It is expected to double to about 2,200 billion Euros in 2020. The total turnover of the EU-25 eco-industry is at least 270 billion Euros (2.6% of the GDP).

* The largest sectors of the EU eco-industries are water supply, waste water treatment and solid waste management.

* In Germany more than 5% of industrial production consists of environmental goods. From 2005 to 2007 the production grew by 27%.

* The German eco-industry has the highest share of employment representing about one quarter of the total workforce in this area in Europe.

* Companies from the environmental industry registered an average increase of 15% in labour forces between 2004 and 2006 representing 300.000 additional jobs. Thus, in 2006 4.5% of all German employees have been working in the eco-industry which amounts to almost 1.8 million people.

* World markets and the German example show that eco-industries are a dynamic, fast growing sector with considerable employment opportunities.

Arnold Cassola said that Malta must not miss the boat and that an AD MEP, which polls show is a real possibility, will work in the EP for a better quality of life for all. He said that the government’s decision to go for a turbine at Delimara which burns a dirty fuel and creates tones of toxic waste every day is worrying and is a step backwards. He insisted that investment in clean and alternative energy will lead to affordable and clean energy. Depending on the fluctuations of the oil market is dangerous for our economy, he added.

Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, AD MEP candidate said that the negativity of other parties during this campaign is not conducive to a mature approach to politics. She said that scaremongering should be consigned to the dustbin. Yvonne Arqueros added that it is important that there is a Green MEP to represent the people of Malta and Gozo who have quality of life issues at heart. She said that she is pleased that at the end of the campaign Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is saying that he agrees with AD and with the Greens that maternity leave should be increased to at least 20 weeks, even though his government opposed increasing maternity leave in EU institutions.

Arnold Cassola closed the meeting by appealing to all those who want to pass on a strong message to the government. “It is only by voting for AD, the only party which can bring about change to the political landscape of this country, that the real and strongest message can be sent to the others. Not voting will not drive the message home. Not voting will not bring about any kind of change. Voting and electing an AD MEP will smash the current stale status quo. The European Parliament is a parliament made of of 8 different parties. An AD MEP will work with a third party, the Greens, in the European Parliament and will be able to bring the Maltese perspective into an additional group.”

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