Louis Apap Bologna has been elected president of the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, following the retirement of Reginald Fava.

Mr Apap Bologna is managing director of Frederick Darmanin and Co. Ltd.

The election took place during the Chamber's first council meeting this year.

Mr Apap Bologna, who holds a degree in economics, had served as senior vice-president during the past two years. He has been a member of the chamber since 1975 and has held various positions on the council and trade section committees.

At the same meeting, Michael Scerri was elected senior vice-president while Victor A. Galea was elected vice-president. The other elected officers are: Andrew de Domenico, secretary; Andrew W.J. Mamo, treasurer; Norman Aquilina, assistant secretary; and Charles M. Mercieca, assistant treasurer.

Mr Apap Bologna thanked his fellow council members for their confidence. He expressed a mixed sense of pride and humility in occupying a prestigious position following in the footsteps of a line of distinguished personalities starting from Sir Agostino Portelli in 1848.

He expressed his gratitude to Mr Fava who, he said, performed in an excellent manner during his term and enhanced the chamber's position in many ways.

Mr Apap Bologna described Malta's accession to the European Union as momentous and historic and said he expected it to impose demands on the chamber. For this reason, he appealed for full co-operation from all council members to ensure a successful outcome for the chamber and the country at large.