It is time for Malta to have two national days – Independence Day and Republic Day – rather than five, President George Abela said yesterday.
National days have always been a controversial issue but Dr Abela raised the subject in a strongly-worded speech at the Republic Day awards ceremony yesterday.
He said the country was now “mature enough” to come to a “wide consensus” to reduce the number of national days.
His choice of Independence Day and Republic Day was based on the fact that both occasions have a particular significance in the constitutional development of the country.
Dr Abela said: “Malta’s national days should reflect special significance and a particular relevance to the historical development as a sovereign, independent and republican state.”
He remarked that “at least for the time being” not more than two of them should be established as national days.
He also suggested that on Republic Day a special commemoration be held at a suitable monument “set up in a prominent place”.
Prior to 1987, March 31, Freedom Day, the day the British forces had left Malta for good, was the National Day but this was considered divisive by many due to its significance for the Labour Party.
In an effort to stamp out National Day polarity, Eddie Fenech Adami, then Prime Minister, had added another four days in 1987: June 7 (Sette Guigno), September 8 (Victory Day), September 21 (Independence Day) and December 13 (Republic Day).
Speaking to The Times, President Emeritus Fenech Adami said he agreed with his successor’s suggestion: the time had come to reduce the number of national days. Ideally there should be one National Day, he said, and Independence Day would be his preferred option because that was when Malta became a sovereign country.
However, he was appreciative of the politics behind the occasion. “One has to take into consideration the events that occurred and our history. What is important is that we don’t stay as we are.”
Former Labour Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici described Dr Abela’s suggestion as an “absurdity”. “One cannot just bandy about something like this, it needs to be discussed until there is consensus,” he said.
He felt that, by now, the country should be mature enough to choose one national holiday “as they have in every country”.
Were he to choose, he would opt for September 8 “because that is a traditional Maltese day and a day that is not shrouded in politics”.
The Nationalist Party said Malta became a sovereign independent nation on September 21, 1964, and that day must therefore be celebrated as the country’s National Day.
“However, we agree that Republic Day is an important national event that deserves due recognition and celebration,” the PN said.
Migrants foundation director Ahmed Bugre after receiving his medal. Photos: Darrin Zammit Lupi