Brussels, 29/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - Maltese Labour leader Alfred Sant said on Monday that the Maltese representative at the European Convention will mainly insist that the European Union remain pluralist and not impose a "single model" (we recall that the countries applying for membership will send representatives for their governments and parliaments to the Convention, but without voting rights).
Furthermore, Denmark chose the former Minister and former Vice-President of the European Commission, Henning Christophersen, to represent his government at the Convention's Presidium (as future EU Council Presidency). It designated as representatives of its parliament the former Social Democrat Minister for Social Affairs, Henrik Dam Kristensen, and the eurosceptic, Peter Skaarup.
The "major challenge" of the work of the Convention and of the Forum of Civil Society, "each with its own responsibilities", was underlined by Romano Prodi in his speech on Monday in Milan (see other article). The Commission President took the opportunity of the presence of Cardinal Martini to affirm that "no one is excluded from the process of building European integration", and that no-one could "imagine excluding the contribution of religions and churches". Mr Prodi stressed that, in its White Paper on European governance, the European Commission "explicitly identified the religious communities as partners". (Ed.: We recall Pope Jean-Paul II had regretted that the contribution of the church in this process is apparently neglected).