PM says solidarity is essential

Prime Minister and Nationalist Party leader Lawrence Gonzi and some of the party's European parliament candidates yesterday met with representatives of women organisations in the first of a series of meetings the party is organising with representatives of civil society.

Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of the civil society. Although civil society has been contributing to the country's well-being for a long time, its work has only recently started being recognised, he added.

Dr Gonzi said Malta was living a special moment which began last Saturday with the country's EU membership and came after a lot of debate.

"Malta has embarked on a new road, through which it will have new opportunities but it also needs to make a contribution to the development of the EU," he said.

Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of solidarity at this "special moment" and said the country should not only focus on what it could achieve but also on what it could give back.

One of the new rights that was brought about by EU membership, he said, was the right of the Maltese people to choose their own representatives within the European parliament.