Poor MEP attendance for Malta’s end-of-presidency speech raises Juncker’s ire

Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addressed the plenary session of the European Union on 4 July 2017 to review the country's rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The very poor attendance of MEPs during the closing speech of Mr Muscat angered the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, who lashed out against the 'very ridiculous' European Parliament. The irated statement triggered a debate on the Strasbourg seat of the chamber, the relations between EU institutions and the inequal treatment of big and small EU Member States.

ESO: Background information: Malta: EU Presidency, January-June 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/malta-eu-presidency-january-june-2017/

EurActiv, 05.07.17: Maltese presidency gets mixed review http://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/maltese-presidency-gets-mixed-review/

EUObserver, 04.07.17: Juncker lashes out at 'ridiculous' EU parliament https://euobserver.com/institutional/138428

Politico, 04.07.17: Jean-Claude Juncker: ‘The Parliament is ridiculous’ http://www.politico.eu/article/jean-claude-juncker-european-parliament-is-ridiculous/

Malta Independent, 04.07.17: PM calls for solidarity between member states on migration in EU Presidency closing speech http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-07-04/local-news/PM-calls-for-solidarity-between-member-states-with-migration-in-EU-Presidency-closing-speech-6736176173

Euronews, 04.07.17: 'You are ridiculous' - Juncker on empty EU Parliament http://www.euronews.com/2017/07/04/you-are-ridiculous---junker-on-empty-eu-parliament

The Independent, 04.07.17: Jean-Claude Juncker tells near-empty EU parliament: 'You are ridiculous' http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/jean-claude-juncker-eu-parliament-ridiculous-malta-pm-european-union-strasbourg-brussels-a7822786.html

EurActiv, 06.07.17: Juncker regrets calling MEPs ‘ridiculous’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/juncker-regrets-calling-meps-ridiculous/

Blog: Open Europe, 04.07.17: 'Ridiculous' spat between Commission and Parliament shows where EU power lies http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/ridiculous-spat-commission-parliament-shows-where-eu-power/

Politico, 06-07.07.17: Juncker apologizes to Tajani for calling Parliament ridiculous http://www.politico.eu/article/jean-claude-juncker-apologized-to-antonio-tajani-for-calling-parliament-ridiculous/

---