Honourable Prime Minister
Honourable Speaker
Honourable Ministers
Honourable Leader of the Opposition
Colleagues Presidents Emeriti
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
This is the fourth speech I am giving on the occasion of Republic Day.
Today we are celebrating the 48th anniversary since our country achieved the highest degree of sovereignty that a country can possibly achieve. For a country that just ten years before this accomplishment was still a colony of the British Empire, this was no mean feat. Although it was in that year that, for the first time in our country's history, we had a Maltese Head of State, our country had not yet achieved the economic independence it needed to be truly free.
For generations upon generations of Maltese people over the years, this had been a dream. Different leaders of the Maltese people urged the country to take in hand the reins of its own future. Some were sceptical that we could make it on our own. We took the first steps as a people freed from colonialism when we became independent, and we immediately began to navigate through the waters of international politics, side by side with larger and smaller countries, in the halls of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and other international fora.
Our country acquired a new identity. We were able to move forward without political obstacles and with the least social upheaval. For that day to become reality, no blood was spilled in our country. There were no political prisoners. There was no need, as there was in some other countries, for a complicated process of reconciliation, or retribution for damages. The majority walked together democratically, maturely, and full of hope. As a sovereign country we began to take on new responsibilities. We had to provide a living, and we wanted to improve the circumstances around us so that our brothers and sisters could have an ever-better quality of life.
Successive governments have taken our country forward during this time, which has not always been easy, either because of global economic developments or because of insecurity and instability in the region around us. In our internal politics, we have sometimes experienced difficult times. What kept us on the right path was always the democracy we continued to practise. Despite the many arguments, and no matter how heated they may have been, in the end of the day everyone bowed their heads to the will of the people, when the people were asked to express it.
The more political freedom was appreciated, as far away as possible from the burden of colonialism, the more the desire grew to never again experience what we had experienced for centuries... the desire to never serve as a military base from which one country attacks another country. We strove and stood up for our beliefs to show how useful peace in the Mediterranean was for Europe's security and declared our country a neutral one. In the international sphere, we have strengthened our identity as a Mediterranean country, with interests both in North Africa and in the European Union.
When the opportune moment came, and the people decided, our neutrality did not keep us from deciding that as a sovereign country, we should lend - rather than surrender - our sovereignty to the European Union, so that together with the sovereignty of other countries we would contribute to the strength with which we govern ourselves for the common good of all the Members of the Union.
Neutrality so far has not prevented us from assuming clear positions against the perpetrators of evil, of atrocities, and against those who challenge international laws and conventions. On every occasion that presented itself, we condemned what was wrong, and nothing prevented us from helping the victims of these abuses using all possible means, other than those of a military nature that could have a lethal effect on others.
To this day, neutrality is still a valid political position and does not hinder our country in the implementation of European Union policy or of our country's foreign policy.
For the second time since we became a Republic, we are once again assuming, for a period of two years, a role in the United Nations Security Council, starting in January. This is not just a prestigious position; it also shows the confidence that so many countries from around the world showed in us when they voted for us to occupy this position. This appointment gives us responsibilities which are far from minor. We are not going to lead the world, but we will be one of the fifteen countries that will make decisions, among other responsibilities, to maintain peace and security around the world.
The United Nations needs reforms, and not just minor ones, in the way its structures operate. Nevertheless, it remains the most important forum for collaboration among nations.
Malta will form part of the UN Security Council at a difficult time, and it has already stated what work it will prioritise in these two years. I am convinced that just as we have been able to win the support of so many countries to get this appointment, we will also do what is expected of us and ultimately win everyone's respect.
These two years will give us the opportunity to make our voice heard more forcefully, especially when it comes to the role of women in achieving peace and security, condemning the employment of children in military activities, climate protection and its connection to seas and oceans, as well as the importance of literacy, and education. I hope that alongside these messages, we shall, on every occasion that presents itself, condemn without reservations the mentality of war, and the power of the industries that produce and supply weapons, arms, and ammunition, which in many countries form a substantial part of their economies.
We have just been through a pandemic that in two years has changed our lives, forced us to recognise new realities, and has left negative impacts on our economy and on the economies of many other countries around the world.
During the pandemic, our way of life changed.
The fear of death became real. In our country, thousands experienced a period of isolation. Hundreds more, although given the best medical attention, passed away, deprived of being comforted by their loved ones during the last hours of their lives. The pace of social life changed radically, and all of us isolated ourselves to some degree. Businesses took a hit, and tourism almost vanished.
We witnessed the strength and magnitude of science, which in a short time discovered and provided effective vaccination, gradually turning the tide for this pandemic. As unfortunately always happens, we saw rich countries being preferred over poor ones. Above all we have seen economies weaken under a mixture of lower income and outflows of large amounts of money both to provide for healthcare and to support those who lost their jobs, or whose businesses were hit hard.
The pandemic has lost its momentum now, but its impact on the mental health of many, from every walk of life, in our society is still present, and it behoves us to be attentive to it and to help by all possible means.
When we thought that the worst was over and were hoping to revert to our normal lives before the pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine broke out.
A war right in the heart of the European continent.
A war more than eighty years after the last world war, which we always thought would be the last one on this continent. A war that is still going on at full strength, and which until now has offered no indication as to how it will unfold.
We have seen a large number of Ukrainian refugees flee their country, seeking refuge in other European countries, even in our country. We have seen the disaster of war play out again on our television screens at home. We have seen deaths; we have seen havoc; we have seen the destruction of so many places in Ukraine. We helped as best as we could, but this was never enough. The future remains to be seen. So far, the courage and determination of Ukrainian forces is impressive, but the lives lost of those defending their country reduce one to pity. Together with many other countries we condemn without reservations this insensible aggression by Russia, and we hope that diplomatic means will be found to bring this conflict to a close.
A consequence of the war that was felt immediately on a global level, was the sudden increase in energy prices, due to a heavy dependence developed over time on gas supplies from Russia. Many prices also increased, especially the price of transport, and there were threats that there would not be regular supplies of grains and cereals.
I had the occasion to discuss the war in Ukraine and its wide-ranging consequences in Europe and beyond with the Non-Executive Heads of State of the European Union, during the meeting I hosted in our country of the so-called Arraiolos Group on 6th October. This was a timely opportunity during which, among others, we were able to discuss directly and face-to-face the severe impact this war is having on the world economy and on the security of energy supplies.
This is the background to the circumstances our country finds itself in at the moment.
A country that has to deal with these problems, over which we have little or no control, but the effects of which directly affect our country's economy, finances, and social life.
At the moment, the people of Malta and Gozo are facing a number of challenges which we must face together if we are to succeed.
Our country may not be a heaven on Earth, but neither is it the hell that some among us are portraying it as. It is true that we do not, and can never, offer our youth the same opportunities that countries much larger than us have to offer. However, we certainly cannot besmirch our country's name in this way.
If we are the ones who do not show respect towards ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us?
We are offering our youth all the education they are able to absorb in order to achieve their dreams, and it is a pleasure for us to see some of our youths spread their wings beyond our shores and achieve success, as many of them do. It would have been better if it were possible not to let these talents be lost, but all countries of our size experience this.
I hope that when the time comes, these young people will have the possibility to contribute to the wealth and development of our country and feel proud to be Maltese.
Despite all the social measures, and all the corrective financial measures to reduce inequalities, we still have hidden poverty, and also poverty that is sometimes not so hidden. Those who either do not believe, or close their eyes to, this reality would be fooling themselves.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to eliminate this poverty entirely, and I thank those hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers who through various non-governmental organisations devote their time and energy to helping those of us who end up in need of help under various circumstances.
A different, rather relative poverty is that of those who despite having a decent income, and who like everyone else enjoy free education, free health services, and a number of other welfare measures, still find it difficult to keep up with everyday needs.
Rent is often mentioned as a factor by those in these situations. Even though new buildings are being built every day, instead of decreasing, as one would expect given the laws of demand and supply, the price of rent is on the contrary, constantly increasing.
Speaking of new buildings, one cannot help but mention the other great challenge our country is facing... that of protecting the rural environment from constant urban sprawl, from the building of infrastructure, and all that falls under the umbrella of so-called 'development'. What we are seeing happening around us in this area is not encouraging at all. Our country is gradually being covered by tarmac, by buildings, and by industrial estates. One clear example that should alert us is the way in which the environment in Gozo is changing rapidly.
The environment is not an infinite resource. In our country it is very limited, and once we lose it, we cannot bring it back. It will only be our loss. The only winners will be those who would have pocketed money in exchange for such a valuable resource.
I cannot fail to remember, here, the many workers who unfortunately lose their lives at the workplace, the majority of whom work in the construction industry. The most recent accident concerned Jean Paul Sofia, a young man who lost his life when still twenty years of age. More oversight, more enforcement, and more discipline are undoubtedly needed here.
I sincerely call on the authorities that plan development, and on the regulatory authorities, to exercise the discipline that the law grants them to prevent abuses, and to ensure the full protection of the environment that our country is endowed with. If anything, these latest developments in the international field have made us understand the need to have enough agricultural land to meet our needs in emergency situations. Agricultural land is not a luxury. It is an economic necessity, and even an important factor in our country's security concept.
I know that this control is not always easy, but I am sure that the people of Malta and Gozo expect it.
Speaking of the environment, I cannot help but mention a problem that I see growing around us every day...that of traffic. Everyone experiences this. Among the main factors, there are too many vehicles for our country's small size. Since we cannot expand our territory, we need to find experts who indicate what measures, in addition to the considerable improvements being done in terms of infrastructure, we need to take to avoid traffic jams on our roads.
I have to say here that we are seeing too many deaths as a result of road traffic accidents on our roads. It is not enough to just honour the victims' memory after the accident happens. We must analyse what is happening and take all the necessary measures to prevent this.
On a larger scale, we must do everything possible to contribute, together with other countries around the world, to the race against time that we are facing to reverse, or at least stop, the damage that humanity has inflicted upon the Earth's atmosphere over the years. We can see and feel this damage in what we today refer to as climate change. If, despite all our efforts, we do not succeed in stopping the Earth from warming up further, then our children's future will not be bright. This clearly emerged in the messages delivered by international experts at the last climate change conference held in Sharm El‑Sheik, in Egypt.
Humanity lives in harmony with its surroundings, and today the huge impact, whether good or bad, the environment has on citizens' mental health is well known. In addition to this there are a multitude of other factors that in our hectic everyday life have an effect on our mental health.
Our country is no exception and unfortunately, we have enough evidence to motivate us to give this area of health the attention it deserves. Negative effects on mental health result from many factors and affect every age group. This is not the right place to list these factors, but one quickly understands that life today has become more tense than before… social pressures, higher educational goals, difficulties in coping with the accelerated pace of everyday life, uncertainties about the future, feeling lonely or abandoned, bullying, and exclusion.
The alarming rate by which suicides have increased in our country should in itself be a warning to study this phenomenon further, analyse it better, understand it, and carry out more carefully and insistently the already existing plans on safeguarding mental health in our country. I believe that we need to start talking about this topic of mental health in the educational field from the first years of our children's formation.
At the same time, we must remain vigilant, especially with regard to our youths, so that they do not end up searching for solutions to such stresses and pressures by resorting to increased consumption of alcohol, gambling, and psychotropic substances, both legal and illegal. I call on the forces of law and order, health authorities, and other regulatory authorities in this area to do their utmost to reduce the damage that unfortunately has been and still is happening around us.
Among the other social ills among us there are those of bullying, sexual harassment especially in workplaces, and domestic violence.
These are social ills which unfortunately are found in different age groups and across all classes of society, without distinction.
Bullying at a young age, especially in our schools, is strongly linked to the development of psychological and behavioural problems that can lead to conditions such as anorexia, or worse. But bullying exists in different forms even among adults, and its consequences result in many cases of negative impacts on mental health.
The same is true for sexual harassment, with regard to which we are lately seeing more victims having the courage to speak up and denounce those who persecute them. Only in this way can we keep our society away from such practices that destroy entire careers, individuals, and families.
Domestic violence is, regretfully, far more pervasive than we think. It can be physical, psychological or it can manifest itself in other ways. Whatever form it takes, it must be combated, with severe penalties, with continuous education, and by providing all the necessary support to the victims of such abuses.
I cannot but mention the horrendous killing of Mrs Bernice Cassar. We have all been appalled by this murder. No words of consolation or solace will bring back this mother to her children, and this daughter to her parents. It is our collective duty to ensure that the circumstances that could lead to another woman being killed in such a horrible manner never repeat themselves again.
Here I would like to celebrate the thousands who work in voluntary organisations, serving the victims of these abuses; a service in addition to what government departments do in these areas.
Voluntary organisations in our country do an invaluable job. Among the almost two thousand organisations registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, a majority cover almost all social, environmental, and altruistic fields in their aims and objectives. I feel that some of these organisations have almost the same objectives, and I think it would be wise if they were to join together, and acquire more strength, both organisational and financial.
Our country's population increase is a phenomenon that has accelerated in recent years, in direct relation to the growth and the ever-wider range of new areas that our economy has branched into. We needed foreign workers in many areas, mainly in health, tourism, construction, and other specialised areas such as gaming. Today foreign workers are found in all areas of Maltese life.
This phenomenon has brought with it new problems, new cultures, new challenges, and perhaps even new abuses. We hear of cases of alleged exploitation of workers in certain sectors. We hear of the housing problems some of these workers face. We know the effects they have had on property rentals in our country. Sometimes we also witness incidents that disturb public peace and order.
These are people who have been welcomed into our country to fill certain vacancies, such as in the field of health. But how much are we working together to really make integration into Maltese society a reality? I am referring to both sides. Some still do not even have a place where to practise their religious beliefs. On the other hand, there are some who hardly try to learn to speak our language. It is also a fact that there are still Maltese people who do not feel comfortable with these foreigners among us. This is wrong and as a people we have to accept the fact that our future is linked to the fact that our country will become increasingly more multicultural, and we have to be ready to reap the advantages that such a situation brings along. Even in this area, it is a question of educating and preparing our people for the future.
The same needs to be said about irregular immigration. The picture here is very different. If it were at all possible, these people would not need to leave their country, and neither come to our country, nor go anywhere else. But immigration is still, and will remain, a phenomenon whose effects we will continue to hit us. We carry out our duties with respect towards our international obligations with regard to these people, as we have always done in spite of our limited means. What we have always pleaded for is the support, help, and solidarity that one rightly expects from countries much larger than us, to take off our shoulders, responsibilities that our country's small size does not allow us to carry.
Although the situation in some cases has been, or may be, difficult, we must take the opportunity to unconditionally condemn without reservations any hostile, offensive, or downright racist or xenophobic act or words committed or spoken by anyone who is intolerant or who in any way mistakenly feels that they are superior to other human beings. In this area too we want not only education but also integration programmes.
It is worrying that according to the State of the Nation statistics (2022), only 27% are comfortable or very comfortable with multiculturalism, while 49% say unhesitatingly that they are neither comfortable nor uncomfortable and 23% state clearly that they are not comfortable with it at all.
Here, on behalf of the people of Malta and Gozo, I would like to salute the Forces of Law and Order who throughout the year, night and day, work tirelessly in the surveillance and control of irregular immigration in our country.
A black cloud that is still casting an ugly shadow over our country is the ongoing saga wherein all those who were somehow allegedly involved in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia are brought before the Courts of Justice and given the sentences they deserve if found guilty.
Judicial processes take time. Some have already been tried and sentenced.
None of this will bring back Mrs Caruana Galizia. As a country we are morally obliged to see that the public in general, and her family members in particular, would be satisfied by the correct and complete manner, with which justice would have been delivered.
This leads me to reflect a little on the ongoing reforms intended to give the media in our country all the opportunities it needs to have for the necessary broad freedoms, to allow it to fulfil its duties to society, without hindrance, fear, or threats. This is a very delicate area that involves establishing clear legal boundaries that safeguard journalists while not eroding any of their freedoms. They must be laws that likewise protect citizens from unfounded accusations, fortuitous allegations, and defamatory statements, which are easy to make and disseminate, but difficult to clear one's name from, once they happen.
A fair balance must be struck, helping to bring about justice, and allowing democracy to operate.
I appeal, against the background of the goodwill that I feel exists, for us to have the best regulations in place to ensure freedom of the press, so that all the necessary discussions can be held, so that what is finally agreed upon is accepted and will be for the best interests of democracy.
The challenges associated with the proper functioning of social media are not small. I reiterate my call to those who make use of these means of social communication to be respectful in their messages.
In our country, whenever there was the will, we always found a way. Over this past year or two, our country has made substantial changes of a constitutional nature regarding the appointments of the President of the Republic, the Chief Justice, the members of the Judiciary, the functions of what used to be the Attorney General, and in our electoral laws, among other changes.
In addition, we have also recently seen the collective effort between the Executive and experts in the Public Service to set up those structures with which we were able to convince others that we wanted to see more seriousness in the financial field, after having been relegated to what is known as the Grey List by the international body, the Financial Action Task Force. With these regulatory structures in place, we will ensure maximum transparency in terms of sourcing, ownership, and the identity of the legitimate beneficiary of funds and profits made from them.
These are all good things, but we must be careful not to let these new means of scrutiny with their newly introduced bureaucracy and new systems, have negative effects on the performance of businesses owned by genuine and honest investors.
When we were determined – we succeeded. This is why I find it difficult to understand why, against the background of all this, it was so difficult to find a suitable person who enjoys the trust of both sides of the House to occupy the constitutional role of Ombudsman. This has been ongoing since October last year. The role of Commissioner for Standards is also currently vacant.
I have the impression that while the need for two-thirds agreement is fair with regard to certain appointments, reflecting the importance of those positions, it appears unfortunately that it may lead to a certain disagreement, and to blockage of the system. I sincerely appeal for this impasse to be resolved.
I regret to say that this lack of enthusiasm has also been felt now when we are about to choose a suitable person to take over and lead the next stage in the process of setting up and running a Convention to consider whether any changes to the Constitution are needed.
Unfortunately, this process has been delayed due to the COVID pandemic, and now that almost all preparatory work has been done, we have to move to the next stage, namely the convening of the convention. This requires, as a first step, agreement on the appointment of a competent person who enjoys everyone's trust, who would be charged to set up the necessary administrative structure to be able to manage the convention.
Perhaps I am coming across as too negative. I rather feel I am being objective.
In no way do I want to give the impression that in our country, everything is bad. We have a lot that is good. I am touching, responsibly, upon those areas which, whether out of our own fault or not, we must correct for us to have a better quality of life.
In this context, I will refer to the spirited debate that is going on in our country.
It is not the practice for the President of the Republic to make pronoucements on draft legislation that is still under debate in Parliament. As I have consistently maintained, the democratic process needs to take its due course without any interferences.
This being said, I feel that these are very particular circumstances and I should convey my hope that with the ongoing discussions, a solution which duly addresses all the points being raised by the different stakeholders in this debate will be found.
Where would I like to see this country go in the future?
I wish that all that we have which is good is preserved and improved upon.
I would like to see the excellent health service we presently have in our country continue to keep up with medical and technological developments in this field to continue enjoying the high standard we have today.
We should never stop working to ensure that the highest level of transparency, accountability, and equality are always better employed with full respect for democracy and justice in our country.
It is my wish, as I am sure it is the wish of the majority of our people, to see our country continue to live in peace, and work hard to spread the politics of peace, and not the politics of wars.
I want to see a country where social justice is taking place and is seen to be taking place. Although many measures have been introduced to reduce bureaucracy and to serve citizens, much remains to be done.
I join all those who wish to see more expedient courts and judicial systems and shorter timeframes for cases to be brought to a close and for justice to be delivered.
I would like us to alleviate as soon as possible the problems of homeless people, or those who lack decent accommodation to live in.
As I have had occasion to say many times before, my dream is to see more genuine unity among Maltese and Gozitans.
Above all I would like to see a country where every Maltese is proud to be Maltese… and a country where solidarity reigns every day and always.
Viva Malta Repubblika.
