Described by the Prime Minister as "one of the greatest statesmen Malta ever had", late President Guido de Marco this evening received glowing accolades  at the unveiling of a statue in his memory outside the law courts in Valletta.

In a keynote speech, former European Court of Human Rights judge Giovanni Bonello recalled Prof. de Marco's "obsession" with bridge building that the statue conveyed.

Giving two examples, he said that in 1974 before Malta became a Republic, Prof. de Marco had sought consensus within the Nationalist Party to convince other members of the party to support the move.

Photo: Jason Borg

Then, following the 1981 election when the Nationalist Party obtained a majority of votes but a minority of seats, he had held a series of discussions with the late Prime Minister Dom Mintoff to find the solution that was eventually found for the perverse result not to be repeated.

His autobiography The Politics of Persuasion aptly described his way of life, Dr Bonello said, recalling also Prof. de Marco's brilliant career as a criminal lawyer.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat recalled the former political foe's insistence that Malta's role in the Mediterranean region was much bigger than its size.

The event kicked off with Prof. de Marco's own voice reading an excerpt from his own book dealing with what it meant to be Maltese.

His daughters, Giannella and Fiorella, then read excerpts of his last parliamentary speech and the inaugural speech when he was appointed President in 1999.

In a short note, Prof. De Marco's son Mario, the Nationalist Party deputy leader, said his father was influenced by the people he mixed with on a daily basis, including those who did not agree with him politically.

The bronze monument, the brainchild of Alfred and Aaron Camilleri Cauchi, depicts Prof. de Marco with an outstretched hand, which according to Dr Bonello, seemed to invite people to shake hands.

Prof. de Marco had a 33-year parliamentary career that started in 1966 and came to an end in 1999 when he was appointed President. He also served as PN deputy leader under Eddie Fenech Adami, piloting Malta's application to join the EU in the early 1990s.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, former presidents George Abela, Eddie FenechAdami and Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, MPs from both sides of the House and members of the judiciary and legal profession were present for the unveiling.