Former European Commissioner Joe Borg yesterday paid tribute to the important role Nationalist leader Simon Busuttil played in securing the EU referendum result in 2003.

At the time, Dr Busuttil was the man in charge of the Malta-EU information centre, which had been set up to explain EU-related issues ahead of the crucial decision that the Maltese were due to make on whether to join the bloc.

Dr Borg said Dr Busuttil had disseminated realistic information that meant people were not expecting “miracles” from EU membership.

The referendum passed with 54 per cent voting for membership and according to a recent survey, 75 per cent now thought accession was a good move.

The opposite trend could be seen in countries that joined alongside Malta, Dr Borg said, crediting Dr Busuttil’s down-to-earth approach in his former role for the high figure recorded 10 years later.

Dr Borg was speaking during the PN’s annual fundraising activity at the party’s headquarters in Pieta.

The event, which began at noon and wrapped up at midnight, included messages from former and current Nationalist MPs.

The proceeds will help the party run its campaign to get its candidates elected as MEPs in the European elections later this month. Dr Busuttil said it was important that voters trusted the people taking decisions on their behalf at EU level, noting that two PN MEPs had given more results than their four Labour counterparts.