The people’s President
...in his own words
Born with a flair for public oration, Guido de Marco made innumerable appearances in the different roles he held throughout his long political tenure. Ariadne Massa shortlists some of his memorable quotes.
“Tixtieq tkun tiegħi?” (Do you want to be mine?)
February 5, 1951, proposing to his wife-to-be Violet as he walked her home from Valletta to Pietà.
“The prospects for peace in the region can only start with the cessation of the settlements in the occupied territories by Israel.”
April, 26, 1991, as United Nations General Assembly president, when he visited Palestinian refugees in occupied territories.
“I still feel the warmth of his hand holding mine; it was a most wonderful feeling.”
May 9, 2001, when as President of Malta he helped Pope John Paul II get down from the platform at the end of the pontiff’s visit to Malta.
“I want university education to be free for everyone.”
May 18, 1967, during a Broadcasting Authority transmission soon after a Nationalist government presented its Budget.
“We will not give in to any provocation... otherwise we will be playing the game of those desperate to hold on the reins of power.”
April 4, 1987, as PN deputy leader addressing a mass meeting in Sliema one month before his party won the general election.
“I spent my political career on the logic of persuasion, persuading people that there are other ways of reaching agreement and not necessarily through violence.”
December 7, 2008, in an interview with The Sunday Times, on the qualities of patience, insistence and persistence young people required if they sought a long career in politics.
“In the eyes of the regime, celebrating our country’s independence was a crime... A policeman... made straight for me, hitting me on the temple with his club.”
September 21, 1975, during Independence Day celebrations in Valletta. Prof. de Marco treasured the photo he had with Nationalist Party leader George Borg Olivier who told him “we are proud of you”.
“Mintoff was a tremendous force of energy and diatribe. He could be an excellent orator, an outstanding debater and a villain all in one.”
December 20, 2007, during the launch of his autobiography, The Politics of Persuasion, on former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
“I accepted the Presidency when I was sure Malta’s EU application was back on track. I had concluded the political negotiations.”
July 19, 2010, during a public dialogue with President Emeritus Eddie Fenech Adami in San Anton, when asked whether he was taken aback he was not the Foreign Affairs Minister to take Malta into the EU after years of hard work.
“We will defend Malta’s Constitution that was put together for Maltese by Maltese.”
April 29, 1974, addressing a mass meeting in Rabat as PN general secretary at a time when there were manoeuvres to amend the Constitution agreed upon in Parliament in 1963.
“Liars... hypocrites... cowards.”
January 20, 1987, during a PN mass meeting in Mosta accusing those who had framed Pietru Pawl Busuttil for the murder of Raymond Caruana at the Gudja PN club.
“I have lived all my life close to the people, so I intend to remain.”
April 4, 1999, when he became President of Malta.