Yes Dr Sant, they said yes

The prime minister has repeatedly pointed out that this is not a "normal" election. It could have been and it should have been. But the sad truth is that it isn't. And for this no one is to blame except Alfred Sant.

Had the Labour leader allowed Maltese democracy to flourish by accepting the people's verdict on European Union membership as expressed in the referendum, we would now be in the midst of a normal electoral contest.

Unfortunately, Dr Sant did nothing of the sort. First, he was against the very idea of holding a referendum, that is, against your right to have the final say on whether you want to be a European citizen. Then, when you did vote and delivered a clear verdict, he refused to accept the result. For the Leader of the Opposition, the fact that 54% of you voted in favour of joining the EU was meaningless and to be ignored.

Finally, by promising to hold a second referendum on membership in the coming legislature, Dr Sant delivered the ultimate insult to Maltese voters, particularly to those who obeyed his call to celebrate Labour's referendum "victory". Why the "winner" of the referendum now wants to hold another one has remained a mystery.

Worse still, even if he truly wanted it, such a referendum is simply not on the cards. If the Maltese prime minister fails to sign the accession treaty on April 16, that is four days after the election, Malta will be out of Europe for good. At the same time, the EU has already made it crystal-clear that it has no plans to open negotiations on 'partnership' should we stay out. In sum, Dr Sant's proposed second referendum in the next five years exists only in his mind.

These are the abnormal circumstances in which the general election on Saturday is being held. Rather than a normal electoral contest between parties and their political programmes, Dr Sant has turned it into a contest between those who want to join the EU and those who don't.

In this sense, a vote for the PN on Saturday will do something much more important than elect a new PN government. It will guarantee that your democratically expressed wish in the referendum will be respected and turned into reality.

Inadvertently, Dr Sant's utter disrespect for democracy and for your right to choose has created a new political scenario. Traditionally, elections polarised supporters of the two political parties with a small albeit growing percentage of floating voters squeezed in between them. Unfortunately, our elections have always been a zero sum game: they produce one winner and one loser.

This election is going to be different. As April 12 approaches, men and women from all walks of political life - Nationalists, Labourites and floaters - are coming together in increasing numbers to form a brand new political coalition. It is a coalition made up of people who know that it is only by voting PN that they can ensure that Malta's place in Europe is secured. They know that it is only by voting PN that their choice for Europe can become a reality.

Contrary to what used to happen in previous elections, these men and women do not necessarily share a single political philosophy. Those voting PN on Saturday do not form a single political tribe. Some might be voting PN for the first time. Many probably hope for a future in which elections are a simple contest between parties and their electoral programmes. But all of them are brought together by a central idea: that this country just cannot miss this one and only chance to join the European family of nations.

While we as a party are proud to represent this national movement for Europe, we are equally proud to submit our record as a government to them for scrutiny. The national coalition for Europe knows that it is voting for a government that during the last four years

¤ doubled foreign direct investment

¤ increased the expenditure on social services by Lm24 million

¤ distributed 1,000 social housing units

¤ increased average take-home pay by Lm19 per week

¤ created 14,000 new jobs

¤ increased pensions by an average of Lm8.50 per week, and

¤ invested Lm100 million in education in 2003 alone

It is clear then that, contrary to what the Labour leader says, our European mission has not derailed us from the path of improving quality of life in all respects. Indeed it has given us more purpose, deeper resolve and a wider vision.

On April 12, make sure that no one derails you from getting what you already voted for. Vote PN.

Mr Saliba is secretary-general of the Nationalist Party