Joseph Muscat
Prime Minister
What is the significance of Malta’s independence to you?
Independence is an essential cornerstone, a defining moment, in our history. As most Maltese, definitely those of my generation, I am sick and tired of those trying to tabulate which national day is most or least important, with petty politics always taking over. Independence is essential for our country.
Without it, our republican ethos, of which I am personally extremely proud, would have been impossible to achieve. Without independence, it would have been impossible to negotiate the closure of the military base, and achieve freedom.
I have always been proud of our independence and hold it close to my heart. I have always held that independence, the republic and freedom are historic sisters that thrive in unison.
This I do without fear of political contradictions or criticism. It is time that we, as a nation, came to our senses and thrive on a sense of unity.
Has Malta managed to shed its colonial past?
Malta has come a long way, but the honest answer is no. Let us be frank and admit that there remain those who credit anything foreign with misplaced superiority.
Thankfully, those who think otherwise are steadily on the increase. I believe the new generations are at the forefront of this newly found sense of nationalism, which is not blinkered or self-satisfying, but rather open and cosmopolitan.
I know that some party veterans might not be too happy with this reaching across the aisle. But I represent a generation that wants to look forward
The recent liberal turn in our society – where we have shown we can take bold decisions without having to wait for decades after the proverbial “others” have moved ahead, but rather by being at the forefront of change – has helped kindle this sense of pride and ambition.
On the other hand, I must also look at a positive aspect of colonialism. Our history has made us what we are, and has made the country the attraction it is. Our history, bar the last few decades, is colonial.
While independence did not come a day too soon, our association with Britain helped instil an Anglo-Saxon work ethic, relatively high standards, and mastery of a global language, which makes us stand out.
To what extent has Malta grown in the past 50 years?
Malta is a great example of an economy that has successfully transformed itself by sheer hard work, from one fully dependent on its military role and defence budget to a diversified and globally interlinked one.
It is exceptional how this transition was managed through the years by different governments, with quantum leaps in manufacturing in the 1970s, tourism in the 1980s, financial services in the 1990s, and the digital economy at the turn of the century.
On the other hand, I believe our society has remained for too long shackled by the constraints of conservatism, which restrained the Europeanisation of our society. Thankfully, that too is changing.
Do you feel EU membership has strengthened or weakened independence?
It has strengthened, and I will explain why. Independence is what you make of it. Independence and its strength depend on the will of the people to elect a government which is committed to European ideals and can stand its ground in Europe.
Saying Yes to Brussels does not make you a good European. Saying No does not make you more Maltese. Adopting a common sense approach, feeling and acting as an equal at the decision table is what strengthens Malta and Europe.
The two main parties are now celebrating this national feast together. To what extent was it a mistake to politicise it in the past?
It was a big mistake. The historical circumstances of the time do not justify this attitude. Credit must be given to Alfred Sant who in 1997 became the first Labour prime minister to honour Independence Day.
I took the conscious decision to ask the Opposition Leader to join the President and myself during these celebrations because I genuinely believe it is time to turn a new page in our history.
Last year, on the first available occasion, I did away with State protocol that saw the Opposition Leader sidelined at the annual Independence Day and Freedom Day ceremonies.
I endured that sort of irrational arrangement for five years, and while I can understand the historic context in which such decisions were taken, I found them out of touch and humiliating towards the part of the population that identified itself with the party I lead. I do not want anyone else to feel the same under my watch.
I know that some party veterans might not be too happy with this stance of reaching across the aisle. But I represent a generation that wants to look forward. I also hope the Nationalist Party takes this opportunity to start fully respecting Freedom Day and understand its important significance to our society. It is long overdue. It is how we can make ourselves independent of the past and launch ourselves, united, towards the future.
Simon Busuttil
Opposition Leader
What is the significance of Malta’s independence to you?
It is personal, as well as national, sovereignty. The party that obtained independence for Malta never considered it as a way to an overbearing Maltese State but as a means to personal independence for all Maltese.
It was no coincidence that the independence gift of the government to the Maltese was the new university building at Tal-Qroqq. The foundation stone laid on September 22, 1964, signified a new impetus for education leading to independence of means and independence of mind. Free university education in 1970, stipends after 1987, the re-foundation of the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology in 2000, and the huge increase in productive jobs in an independent private sector have all been means to personal independence.
Has Malta managed to shed its colonial past?
In many ways it has. Britain is now an equal member of the EU with us, not a colonial master. Culturally, we are much more diverse and there has been an increasing appreciation of what makes us Maltese.
In others respects, however, we have yet to shed it. The culture of dependence upon the State and cronyism has ebbed and flowed. The problem is, of course, that now it’s not the Queen who’s paying, but the Maltese taxpaying public. Also lacking is a sense of public collective good. We can see that in the environmental challenges we face. That’s a good project for the next 50 years...
To what extent has Malta grown in the past 50 years?
To the extent that we now have a guaranteed democracy with frequent elections and referenda. To the extent that we now enjoy rights guaranteed by our own courts and the European Court of Human Rights.
To the extent that we now have more than 80 per cent youngsters studying after 16. To the extent that we have a system of solidarity encompassing health and personalised services. To the extent that we have a productive private sector employing 73 per cent of our workforce.
To the extent that we have a transformed industrial base providing competitive services such as aviation and financial services. To the extent that we’re now active players in the European Union.
Minorities and those who disagree with the government of the day need to be listened to and engaged, not insulted or rolled over
Do you feel EU membership has strengthened or weakened independence?
EU membership was an important step in our quest for personal independence for all Maltese. EU membership gives each one of us more effective freedom to choose in many areas, not just economic, but also educational, cultural and social. EU membership limits what the State can do and makes each one of us more sovereign.
As a nation, EU membership means that we do not just stand on our own, but we stand for something. The EU is the embodiment of the ideas of pluralism, democracy, liberty, equality, non-discrimination. This is our passport to the world.
As with independence, there were many nay-sayers, but today most Maltese accept that EU membership enhanced our personal independence.
The two main parties are now celebrating this national feast together. To what extent was it a mistake to politicise it in the past?
For 16 years, Independence Day was not even a public holiday. The Opposition of the time was attacked when celebrating it, and independence was vilified. Of course, that didn’t work, and even Labour now celebrates independence as the achievement of our statehood.
This goes to show how important it is to adopt a stance of civil disagreement in a free democracy. Minorities and those who disagree with the government of the day need to be listened to and engaged, not insulted or rolled over. Majorities have the important duty to build consensus.
George Borg Olivier was denigrated, but today is his day and he stands triumphant as a true statesman, gentleman and democrat.