Updated 1:30pm

Michael Falzon, an architect who served as minister under a Nationalist administration and was among the founders of the Malta Developers Association, has died aged 79.

Born in 1945 and from Naxxar, Falzon was a leading figure in Eddie Fenech Adami's first governments and a media commentator both before and after his time in politics. 

His death was announced publicly by Prime Minister Robert Abela, who said he had last spoken to Falzon a few days ago.

“He served the country. We had varying opinions but respect was never lacking. He always presented his thoughts in a constructive way. I’m terribly sorry for his loss,” Abela wrote.

Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech also offered Falzon's family his condolences. 

Falzon, he said, had "served in many important roles within politics, organisations and the media". 

Falzon's first key role in politics came aged 29, when he was appointed Secretary-General of the Moviment Żgħażagħ Partit Nazzjonalista (MŻPN). One year later, he was elected to the PN executive committee and appointed the party's information secretary.

In 1976, he ran on a PN ticket in the general election. He entered parliament through a casual election. He would go on to secure a seat in two districts in the 1981, 1987 and 1992 elections. 

When the Nationalist Party swept to power in 1987, Falzon was appointed Infrastructure Minister, overseeing the construction of the Delimara power station.

When the PN won re-election in 1992, Falzon was made education minister. Two years later, he had human resources added to his ministerial portfolio.

He quit frontline politics in 1996 though he sought a comeback of sorts when he ran for a PN seat in the European Parliament in 2004 following Malta's EU membership. 

Another candidate in that election was a young Roberta Metsola. She paid tribute to him on Sunday as a "source of information and experience who lived through difficult political times".

"He did not live with nostalgia but rather always looked ahead," Metsola said. 

Falzon continued to play an important role in public life. He sat on a key oil procurement committee and also chaired the Water Services Corporation between 1998 and 2008. 

Between 1999 and 2004, he served as Information Services Manager at Media Link Communications, responsible for managing the PN’s media and serving as editor of the party’s newspapers.

Falzon was a key figure in the creation of the Malta Developers Association, a leading lobby group which continues to play a major role to this day.  

Apart from leading PN media, Falzon also contributed to independent newspapers. He served as editor of The Democrat and was previously a columnist at The Sunday Times of Malta.  Falzon continued to write a regular column at Malta Today - his most recent column was published a few days ago.  

Saviour Balzan, Falzon’s managing editor at Malta Today, recalled him as “one of the most perceptive and analytical minds” and credited his vision for the creation of the Planning Authority.

 “Michael was not fake, he would say it as it is,” Balzan said. 

Michael Falzon and Sandro Chetcuti, who both led the MDA.

Sandro Chetcuti, who succeeded Falzon at the helm of the MDA, also paid tribute to him.

“Michael was a man of huge integrity who believed politics should be used for the common good. Michael helped me grow in my career, he helped me mature and assisted me during the most difficult periods of my life,” Chetcuti said.

His political legacy was somewhat tainted in 2015, when it emerged that he had a secret bank account in Switzerland in the 1980s holding the equivalent of €460,000. Falzon always maintained the account held money he earned before his time as minister from work he did for foreign clients.

In a statement, the Labour Party conveyed its condolences to Falzon’s family. So too did parliamentary speaker Anġlu Farrugia. 

In a statement, President Myriam Spiteri Debono also paid tribute to Falzon, who said while he moved away from the political scene, he remained influential through his profession as an architect and his opinions. 

Falzon is survived by his wife and son.