President lauds government's good leadership

Malta moved forward after it found the leadership it needed under Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's government, President Eddie Fenech Adami said yesterday of his political successor.

"We can say that it is truly a new political season of cooperation," he said, echoing the slogan used by Labour Leader Joseph Muscat.

While receiving Dr Gonzi's and Cabinet's New Year greetings at the Palace, Dr Fenech Adami said the country trusted Dr Gonzi's government. "But trust is not enough. A country also requires good leadership and it found the leadership it needed under your government and moved forward," Dr Fenech Adami said in his last such address as President before his term of office expires in a few months' time.

Dr Gonzi told Dr Fenech Adami he was the first President who was also an EU citizen. "He was able to grasp the best opportunities for the country and saw Malta developing throughout the past five years."

Dr Fenech Adami played a very important role last year, which was full of challenges. "There are more challenges for the year ahead but through unity we will find strength," said Dr Gonzi. "Through our values, determination and our ability to work together we will make it an excellent year for Malta."

The President agreed: "The country's political and constitutional development went through the hardest tests. The government had the difficult task to take on board and absorb the EU's vast legislation".

The Cabinet had very important work to do last year, which started with the introduction of the euro and ended with a financial crisis, Dr Fenech Adami recalled.

During a visit by an Alternattiva Demokratika delegation, AD chairman Arnold Cassola said the party will meet the leader of the Labour party (PL) to discuss names of potential candidates for President. Prof. Cassola said Dr Gonzi refused to meet AD to discuss the issue on constitutional grounds.

Referring to the upcoming MEP elections, he said AD will have to battle against the larger political parties that have an illegal voter data collection system. He asked Dr Fenech Adami to ensure that "this illegally-collected information is not utilised to the detriment of the Maltese citizen and the whole democratic process".

The President also received greetings from former Presidents, members of the judiciary, constituted bodies and political parties, among others.