President George Abela raised a number of topical issues when he exchanged New Year’s Day greetings with the country’s leaders yesterday.

Unity will be difficult to achieve if politicians sow division during the electoral campaign

With an election campaign expected to officially kick off on Monday, Dr Abela seized the moment to deliver some significant political messages in the presence of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat and MPs.

In his own words, he “dared to” suggest the inclusion of a chapter on civil society in the election manifestos, justified the protracted deliberation on the Prime Minister’s request to dissolve Parliament last month and reiterated his disagreement with the legal imposition of silence on the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

In the presence of Dr Gonzi and his Cabinet, the President passionately called for civil society to be given “the space” to work, hinting it should also be involved in constitutional reform.

“Civil society was mobilised during the divorce campaign, the L-Istrina fundraiser and by political parties. Civil society is a force to be reckoned with,” Dr Abela said.

In his meeting with Dr Muscat and his wife Michelle, the President noted that it was unacceptable for an affluent society to have almost 70,000 people living at risk of poverty. He insisted on targeted programmes that not only helped such people live comfortably but enabled them to move up the social ladder.

When meeting Speaker Michael Frendo and MPs from both sides of the House, the President explained the reasoning behind his lengthy deliberation on the request to dissolve Parliament.

“In my limited function, I felt I had to consult with the Speaker as the head of the House of Representatives. It was a small gesture that reinforced my belief in an autonomous Parliament,” Dr Abela said.

He also justified his meeting with the Opposition leader before acceding to the Prime Minister’s request.

Dr Abela called on politicians to keep in mind the day after the election result was out. “At the end of it all, there must only be one winner: Malta.” He said unity would be difficult to achieve if politicians sowed division during the electoral campaign.

When greeting the Chief Justice and a delegation from the judiciary, Dr Abela said he disagreed with the legal silence imposed on members of the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

However, he urged the media to respect the confidentiality imposed by law. “Silence does not mean that work is not being done and announcements will be made if and when necessary.”

Dr Abela met other dignitaries, including Archbishop Paul Cremona and representatives of civil society.

What the political leaders said

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was a privilege at the start of a New Year to have led a Government that helped Malta navigate the turbulence caused by the global economic crisis.

He congratulated President George Abela for leaving his mark on the Presidency by uniting people around the core value of solidarity.

On the election, Dr Gonzi said the people would choose with “serenity and objectivity as they have always done. Even if we take our politics in a serious manner, after the March election, the country will continue to move ahead,” he said.

The election was also on Joseph Muscat’s mind. Reflecting on what he described as the longest electoral campaign in 25 years, the Opposition leader said the onus was on politicians to ensure tranquillity in the country. He reiterated his message that the day after the election should be a day like any other. “There should be no winners and losers.” He said the priorities for this year were the creation of meaningful work along with economic growth.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com