Malta defends its corner at EU summit

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has joined other EU leaders at an important  summit meeting on the EU budget for the next seven years, amid pressure from the bloc's paymasters for further cuts. Sources close to the Maltese delegation said although Malta is insisting on keeping what it managed to negotiate last November, talks will be difficult. “We will focus on retaining what has already negotiated but it will be an uphill struggle,” a senior Maltese diplomat said. Talks between the 27 EU member states have been ongoing for the past year. During a summit meeting last November, member states failed to reach a final settlement and are now entering into extra time to try to conclude negotiations. Although under EU rules, Malta is eligible for about €480 million in structural and cohesion funds between 2014 and 2020, the government had managed to increase the allocation to €680 million after the EU accepted its arguments for compensation due to its position as an island member state. But it suffered from a statistical effect through the membership of Bulgaria and Romania, which brought down the EU members' GDP. Member states are divided in two groups, with the net contributors arguing...