MEP Agius Saliba calls on the EC to provide Malta with financial assistance in response to the drought and to address the issue of the oriental hornets

During the plenary debate on the European Citizens’ Initiative Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment, MEP Alex Agius Saliba addressed the problem of droughts and the oriental hornets that destroy bees and cause a lot of problems in biodiversity in Malta.

MEP Agius Saliba called on the European Commission to provide Malta with financial support in response to the drought and urged to take urgent measures to address problems, which need urgent remedies such as oriental hornets that destroy Maltese ecosystems and disrupt the production of honey and the number of bees.

“Due to the drought, we had a lack of rain in Malta which resulted in 80% less honey production. These are clear examples of how little changes, like oriental hornets and lack of rain, can cause devastation to biodiversity in different member states, including Malta. Therefore, it is extremely important to have a European Citizens’ Initiative, such as this one, so we can take action at the EU level,” stated MEP Agius Saliba

The European Citizens’ Initiative is the first tool for participatory democracy that confers on EU citizens the right to take the initiative and provides an exceptional opportunity to identify and articulate their aspirations to ask the European Union to take action.

“I do support this important initiative and I look forward to taking action on the protection of bees on the European level. Without bees, we will not eat. Without bees there is no biodiversity,” stressed MEP Agius Saliba.