The political parties had their referendum campaigns running at full gear yesterday, but a cold wind and rain meant that mass meetings held at Fgura and Mosta were not as heavily attended as they usually are.

The prime minister addressed an activity at Qormi and in the afternoon a mass meeting at Fgura. At the former he stressed that EU membership would mean Malta's future was on solid ground, removing uncertainty and thus creating a climate for foreign direct investment.

EU membership would also mean a guaranteed market access for Malta's membership. Referring to the weather in his Fgura speech, he said he was sure that after March 8, Malta would have a "new spring".

Those attending the PN mass meeting were also addressed by a former governor of the Central Bank, Francis Vassallo, and a former Labour MP, Rokku Abdilla.

Labour party leader Alfred Sant, speaking at Tarxien, said the Labour Party's sights were trained on the elections, not what he called the "bogus" consultative referendum, and he was sure the MLP would win the elections handsomely once the electoral process was transparent.

At his mass meeting speech Dr Sant continued to insist that EU membership would put at risk jobs in a number of sectors. He also contradicted a government statement that Rotos Ziraya had closed down. Dr Sant had earlier this month claimed that the company would face difficulties because of membership, but the government said the company had in fact ceased operating.