Malta
“Basta divisioni: l’appello della Presidente per un’unità nazionale”
File photo of President Myriam Spiteri Debono during Sette Giugno celebrations: Alan Saliba
President Myriam Spiteri Debono wants people to stop bickering over who should take credit for Malta’s independence and eventual freedom from its obligations to the colonisers as a republic state.
In a statement marking the of Malta’s independence on September 21, Spiteri Debono said it was high time for historical events to truly unite the island’s people.
“We would otherwise be making a mockery of our five national feasts. The main characteristic of national feasts is to unite a nation.
“The main protagonists of Malta’s independence have passed away. There is no longer space for interpretations that breed discord among the people when it comes to the appreciation of their acquisitions,” the President said on Friday.
Spiteri Debono noted that Malta’s 1964 constitution was beefed up over the past 60 years through the implementation of a “sovereign exercise” acquired as a result of the island’s independence.
Additionally, over the years the people’s representatives had also introduced new laws or amended existing legislation to refine democracy, she added. In order for laws and legal amendments to be effective, they need to be acceptable to and by the people.
She urged people to drop “empty controversies” and “grow up”.
“Let’s show that we are mature people,” Spiteri Debono said, calling people to shoulder responsibility and hand over an improved country to future generations.
Malta has five national holidays: Freedom Day (Jum il-Ħelsien) marked on March 31, Sette Giugno on June 7, Victory Day (Jum il-Vitorja) on September 8, Independence Day (Jum l-Indipendenza) on September 21 and Republic Day (Jum ir-Repubblika) on December 13.
While over the years the PN consistently marks Independence Day – which was gained during Giorgio Borg Olivier’s premiership, the PL traditionally marks Freedom Day. The British troops left the island in 1979 when Dom Mintoff was prime minister.
Over the years, several from either side of the political spectrum have argued over who should take credit for either of the two. Others argue over which of the two national days is most important.
On Friday Spiteri Debono urged people to reflect on the true meaning of independence.
The release from the colonisers’ grip gave birth to Malta as a nation: the past 60 years have seen an improvement in the everyday life of the island’s people when it comes to the economy, health, education and opportunities, she said.
“It is time to stop and reflect: the future we want to build for our descendants is in our own hands. This means that the future is a burden we carry with us because it is our obligation to hand over a country with strong principles, a country that seeks not to threaten any other nation and that actively works to strengthen peace in international fora.
“However, we also need to ensure that peace reigns among us. We need to look at the historical facts through the proper perspective to appreciate the development of the people as a sovereign state,” she added.