MEP Gisela Kallenbach has accepted an invitation by Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party to pay a visit and to hold a public debate in Gozo in the coming weeks..

Ms Kallenbach is a German Green MEP and a member of the EU Regional Development Committee. She is responsible for the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and other instruments of the Union's regional policy. Assessing the impact of Eruopean Union policies on economic and social cohesion, outermost regions and islands as well as trans-frontier and interregional cooperation are amongst her responsibilities.

For many years Ms Kallenbach represented the city of Leipzig on the Eurocities environment committee and is an Honorary member of Solar City Leipzig and Haus der Umwelt (environment house) associations.

"When I heard about the Malta Green Party's proposal to turn Gozo into an ecological island over a year ago, I increased my interest in this island-region and happily accepted the invitation by Alternattiva Demokratika to visit the island soon" said Ms Kallenbach.

AD spokesman for Gozo and secretary general of the Malta Green Party, Mr Victor Galea said that "We are honored to host Ms. Kallenbach in Gozo and we envisage that a public debate will be held in order to learn from success stories of other EU countries where the state seriously invested in sustainable tourism, jobs and the improvement of the ecology. We also hope that the Maltese Government's promise to take up the Alternattiva Demokratika suggestion is implemented as soon as possible in order to turn Gozo into an ecological island, while enhancing its unique characteristics."

"A strategy to generate energy mainly through alternative sources would create a substantial amount of Gozo-specific employment and add value to the island's unique characteristics. The establishment of Gozo as an island model by virtue of pioneering its launch as a centre of studies in renewable energy, concurrently generating new employment for technicians, engineers, marketeers and hospitality representatives is something Alternattiva Demokratika looks forward to."

"Our aspiration is to have Gozo become the country's leader in exploiting alternative sources of energy and establishing itself as a centre in alternative energy studies while promoting a campaign to reduce energy bills for households and businesses in Gozo" concluded the secretary general of Alternattiva Demokratika.

During her stay in Malta, MEP Gisela Kallenbach will also be holding a speech during the annual meeting of the members of the Foundation of European Societies of Arm Collectors (FESAC).