President Guido De Marco ends his term as President tomorrow. He tells Steve Mallia that there were moments in the past five years when it was frustrating not to be able to speak out, and that he has no intention of retiring.

Has being the President in the past five years been one big bore?

It's been anything but a big bore. I learnt a lot and understood much better how relevant a President can be and has to be. He has not to administer the country, but to preside over it. Presiding over a country that passed through a referendum and an election was not easy.

Which have you preferred, political life or the past five years as President?

I think there have been moments when I preferred my political life and moments when I preferred my life as President. I know that I came to this office carrying a political past and I wanted to ensure that in spite of this, I could behave in such a way so as to be above party politics and to try and be for all Maltese a rallying point, a person who all Maltese can trust...

...you think you managed to achieve that?

I believe in great measure this has been achieved, yes.

Even among the people that disliked you previously? You think you managed to earn their trust?

I cannot really say that I was disliked, but I think people disagreed. But even those with whom I had a lifetime of disagreements became convinced that in my role as President I was trying to be fair.

What have you brought to the office that was not there before?

My contribution was making the Presidency very close to the people. I think through my missions abroad, all Maltese felt that they were identifying themselves with their President who was trying to show a Malta that was forward looking, a Malta also trying to ensure its own relevance in international affairs...

...there have been people who have criticised your travels abroad.

I think there are some who will criticise without knowing the facts. These travels abroad were: one, to explain what Malta stands for; two, how to make Malta better known; three, how to go to sources of foreign investment - trying to attract them to Malta; and finally to try and make Malta better known for touristic purposes. And I think, if anything, we need more of these not less.

Do you think any kind of constitutional changes need to be made to the role of the President?

While a number of suggestions may be made so far as the Presidency is concerned and its constitutional role, ultimately the Presidency depends on the moral authority it can exercise.

But is the President too muffled?

I felt, possibly because I am a lawyer, that I knew my Constitutional limitations. But I did not feel muffled. I wanted to be correct. As President my personal opinion had to take a backseat if it clashed with the will of the Maltese people in general.

You must have felt frustrated at times, though.

Yes, there were moments when it was difficult. I felt that I had to be very careful.

Would you say that the most frustrating period was the culmination of the EU debate? After all, you were a person before you became President who was very much associated with the EU cause.

Very much so. But, as I said, more than frustrating is the awareness that if you are President, then behave as such.

But could you be as rational as that or did you get the feeling that 'I wish I was a politician round the time of the referendum to be able to make this or that point'?

I felt it was very difficult on me. But that made it even more worth it. I felt how important it was to be the President of all the Maltese. That was fundamental. If you depart from that objective, you have lost.

In a sentence, what does Malta joining the EU mean to you?

It means that Malta is relevant tomorrow within a family of nations that is called Europe. I think also that Malta's role in Europe passes through the Mediterranean. So, therefore, our relevance in the EU depends on how relevant we are in the Mediterranean.

Would you say that you were very satisfied or even euphoric when the referendum decided in favour of joining the EU?

I was very carefully following events, which could have been very difficult following the referendum result. But the fact that the election was held immediately after, and that election result confirmed the referendum result, helped to try and remove possible misunderstandings and possible difficulties.

What would you have said as President had the referendum been in favour of joining Europe and then a government was elected that decided to disregard that result?

I would have said that this is a contradictory approach on the part of the people, giving one vote for one thing and having a different vote in the election with all the complications this would have given rise to.

Do you think it's inconsistent to have any President in Malta whose political colours are so firmly nailed to the mast?

No. There have been six Presidents. Apart from Sir Anthony (Mamo), they came from the political field. Whether it be Anton Buttigieg, Agatha Barbara, Censu Tabone, Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, I think they were all Presidents and behaved as such. And I believe this is something that is to the credit of Malta's political class.

And what about Eddie Fenech Adami?

I'm sure that Dr Fenech Adami will rise to the occasion.

A lot of people don't think so.

No, I'm sure he will. Dr Fenech Adami is a person who is steeled in the context of being a servant of the state. I think that he served the state through a political party. Now he has to be the servant of the state through the Presidency. I have known him for many years and am sure that he will be doing as his predecessors have done by not only living the part, but feeling that he is part of that life.

What's his biggest handicap?

The fact that people see in him the leader of the Nationalist Party; the leader who has defeated the other side. But I'm sure that his greatest asset is that he's a man with a great sense of duty.

Do you think it mattered that there wasn't political agreement in this case? Is consensus important in the nomination of a President?

I think it is best to have consensus. However, so far, there has been proof that without consensus there have been good Presidents.

How would you describe your relations with Alfred Sant in the past five years?

Constitutionally correct.

Not friendly?

Everybody has his own character, and his own style.

You are one of the people he blames for his term in office being cut short...

That's not for me to agree or disagree. I think that is his opinion. I have always done my duty towards my role as it was then and...

Do you feel he failed in his duty as Leader of the Opposition with regard to the President?

I will never pass judgment as President on any other colleague of mine in politics. A President has to be very careful not to pass judgment on others who have a very responsible role in the country. He has a very responsible role in the country. What I can say is this: Alfred Sant has certainly contributed in removing violence as a factor in our country and that has to be said to his credit...

But that's as far as it goes...

I am not saying that... but it's a great contribution for those who lived those times.

Do you believe that you did play a role in 1998 in bringing his government down?

I did not play any particular role. I was there as every other Maltese politician was there, following events and ensuring that these events will take the course which they did. I think it was my responsibility as deputy leader of the opposition to follow events very carefully and to ensure that within the parameters of democracy the parliamentary system and the people's will prevail.

But you are also known for having close relations with Dom Mintoff.

Yes, I have had close relations with Mr Mintoff for many years and I think these close relations were very fruitful particularly in terms of: one, our relations after the 1981 election leading to the Nationalist MPs re-entering parliament and even more important is the agreement that Mr Mintoff and I reached to ensure that the party which gets the absolute majority of votes must have the absolute majority of seats. We avoided the situation in 1987 which would have been similar to 1981 and that could have been a great tragedy for the Maltese people.

Was there similar collaboration in '98?

It was a different situation. It was not a case of collaboration, it was a question of Mr Mintoff reacting to the situation which we all know about and obviously the Opposition watching, as was its responsibility, events as they unfolded.

You were tearful when you left the foreign ministry...

...obviously I liked the foreign ministry and I still like it today. I think the foreign ministry is a place where we Maltese can do so much and I think the relevance of Malta through the foreign ministry can best be affirmed through a foreign policy which reflects our size and also our strategic location. It is there where we differ from others. But we also have to be careful. Let us not be big headed.

Did you want to leave as foreign minister?

It is not a question of wanting to leave; it's a question of understanding that there are situations that bring a different kind of duty. And I think it was the call of duty which made me accept the Presidency. It was a great call of duty and all of us could feel that it was going to be a very difficult moment; the five coming years were going to be determining years. I left the foreign office only after I had the assurance from the EU Commission that Malta was going to start negotiations with the EU.

Were you persuaded to leave or was it of your own volition?

I think it was ultimately of my own volition. I am a very independent minded person.

So you wanted the Presidency?

I accepted the Presidency. I accepted it as a role which I thought I was duty bound to take, taking into consideration the five years that were coming, and I think my assessment was right.

Is five years enough for the term of a President or should it be longer?

Sometimes I think five years is enough, sometimes I think the Italian model of seven years could be better. But what you have to do in five years, do it well.

Would you have liked to stay on?

I would have done two more years.

Has your wife had enough of the Presidency?

Oh yes. She has been counting the days. And she is still counting the hours. But I believe she has done her very best to ensure that in spite of being a very reluctant first lady, she was a very successful one.

I am not going to ask you what you are going to do after Sunday because I know you won't tell me. But what does your wife want you to do after you finish as President?

It depends on my moods. If she sees that I am in one of my bad moods, she would even send me to a parliament in Timbuktu. But when she thinks that I am in my normal good mood, then she believes that I should stay at home so we can enjoy life together.

Does she want you to retire now?

I think my wife believes she needs to have a good human husband and if she believes that I am getting annoyed, then she would not like to see that. If she had a choice, it would be for us to have more time for each other, more time for our children and grandchildren, more time to travel together.

And what would make you annoyed, retirement?

The idea that I will no longer apply my mind fully to issues is something that I cannot accept. I find that with all the energy that exists in me, and my will to gain further experience in life, I think that makes it rather difficult for me to accept a somnolent approach to issues.

So people have not seen the end of Guido de Marco?

Well, I don't think I've seen an end of it myself either. So, therefore, I have to wait and see how things develop and see how I can put the experience I have in life into something useful. I can't imagine myself just watching life and watching sunsets. I have never been a lover of sunsets. I'm a lover of sunrise.

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