1) How would you describe yourself to an audience of young Europeans aged 15 to 25?

I am determined, hard-working, and enthusiastic about what I do – and I love life. This is how I would describe myself to someone who never met me before. Coming from Malta I love the sun and the beautiful life that comes along with it. And I love politics and the fact that it can help you change things for the better.

I am a working mum and whilst my role as an MEP is extremely important for me, so is my son Jack. Jack helped me understand politics so much more. He made me understand more than ever before that the real true mission of a politician is to work for the best interest of those who are the most vulnerable among us.

2) Among all the parliamentary activities you carry out, which is the one that gratifies you most and why?

The possibility of focusing on a particular topic, delving deeply into it and working towards an aim which can make people’s lives better is the most gratifying aspect of politics. I enjoy meeting people, be it back in Malta and also here in the European Parliament. Meeting people, hearing what they have to say and getting their view points on different topics will always enrich your knowledge and give you different perspectives.

I also look forward to comittee meetings where we discuss specific issues and where we can enter into details of how different agencies work, how different projects are being enacted, how different measures are making a difference in people’s lives. Plenary sessions are also extremely interesting, particularly when topics related to the committee’s I cover are being discussed.

3) As a member of the Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union, do you think that illegal immigration should be a concern addressed by the European Parliament or delegated to national police whose resources are clearly limited?

The Mediterranean sea where this tragedy is unfolding, acts as a natural border to our continent as a whole, that is why I beleive that this should not be an issue that should be faced by individual countries but by Europe as a whole.  I also believe so because solidarity and helping one another lies at the foundation of what the European Union is all about.  This issue is very important to me, not less because I come from Malta.

Having no long term solution for illegal immigration, Europe is failing its founding fathers and its youngest generation. Europe needs a proper asylum policy that strikes the right balance between avoiding the loss of life at sea and avoiding the creation of unnecessary pressures on our socities back home.
I support the calls that have been made for unified EU efforts, also efforts in countries of origin and a tough clampdown of human traffickers.

4) With the Ukraine crisis we have seen the scarce influence that Europe exerts at international level, what do you intend to do to change this?

I believe that through work done by Member States, by our Ministries of Foreign Affairs (who helped foster the truce between protestors and Yanukovych) and by the Commission and Parliament we have protected and supported the Ukrainian people as much as we could while giving them the space they deserved to choose their own future.

I believe that Ukrainians have shown clearly enough where they stand now and what they want their future to look like.

That is why last month the parliament which I am part of overwhelmingly approved the Association agreement with Ukraine and why our Union looks forward to strengthen further ties with Ukraine and its people.
Meanwhile we should also support talks between Ukraine and Russia, and help Ukraine regain stability and implement crucial political and economic reforms.

5) In the European Parliament there are some parties that are against the European Union, can’t you establish laws so this contradiction doesn’t occur?

This is not an issue of laws. You have the representatives that people voted for. The outcome of the May 2014 election shows that we need to re-invent a passion for Europe and for our Union… a passion that has unfortunately diminished during the years of the financial crisis. However, this rekindled enthusiasm won’t come out of thin air. We need to start communicating better with those who we represent. We need to explain that the vote we take in Brussels will affect the money in their pockets, the air they breathe, the protection that they will receive when in need.

That is why the mantras of my time at the EP will be communication, consultation and information. It is only by being close to our citizens and by appealing to the different segments of society in their own particular way that Europeans can start feeling passionate about their Union.