When the Euro was introduced in 2001 Pope John Paul II, the great champion of European integration, described it as the attainment of an historic goal. Addressing the crowds at St Peter's Square on January 1, 2001, following the recitation of the Angelus, the Pope told the pilgrims that he hoped the euro would foster "the full development of the citizens of the different countries. May justice and solidarity grow throughout Europe for the benefit of the whole human family!"

The Vatican adopted the Euro and coins bearing the Pope's image were minted.

This year was Malta's moment to attain this historic moment.

Looking at the papers on Tuesday, January 1 one could see that reactions oscillated between the euphoric and the ambivalent. The Times, The Malta Independent and In-Nazzjon recognised the historicity of the moment and rose to the occasion. The Times gave us a pictorial front page. "The €uro has landed" was reversed out of Matthew Mirabelli's photo of fireworks lighting up the Grand Harbour. On the inside pages Ariadne Massa gave us what, in my opinion, was the best story on the subject written on that day. It elegantly mixed together official and popular elements of the introduction of the euro and the celebratory night. "This is not about a coin, but about jobs" was the quote from the Prime Minister which headed the piece. I also liked Claudia Calleja report entitled "Fear of change(over)." Fear is part of the arsenal used by people when faced with change. At times it tends to be irrational; but that does not make it one iota less real.

The Malta Independent also presented us with another very visual front page. "Hello €uro" the banner heading was reversed out from blue with a very well taken picture of joyous Prime Minister Gonzi, Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech and Mrs Gonzi. The picture, probably taken by Ben Borg Cardona, was full of dynamism.

In-Nazzjon's front page picture filled half the front page but lacked the dynamism shown in the photo of The Malta Independent. The story on the rest of the front page was dedicated to comments of officialdom - hardly exciting and very interesting stuff.

L-orizzont played the part of the doubting Thomas. It only dedicated one third of the front page for the event and gave us a heading characteristic of the ambivalence which the paper repeatedly manifests in most matters that have to do with the EU. Was its nostalgic heading front page heading "Addi€ l-lira!" and the other page three heading "Wara aktar minn 35 sena servizz tal-Lira" intended to drive us into tears for the poor old lira? It was the only paper that did not give us any photos of the celebrations.

L-orizzont gave us a full Euro frontal on January 2. In what can hardly be described as an attempt to analyse the macro and/or micro implications of the introduction of the Euro, the paper dedicated most of its front page to a photo of the Prime Minister's ill-fated attempt to withdraw €100 from an uncooperative machine. It strengthened its in-depth analysis by the one word heading "B€ZZUL". L-orizzont then went on to lighter stuff and informed us that more than one million euros were withdrawn yesterday. A similar heading was given by In-Nazzjon (ie. about the withdrawals and not that about the bezzul part quite naturally!). It seems that both papers based their story on a BOV press release. The English papers did their homework well and informed us that €2.5 million were in fact withdrawn.

Returning to the uncooperative ATM machine, In-Nazzjon and The Malta Independent on Tuesday did not mention the event. The Times mentioned it and gave us the jokes that were cracked about it. The incident dutifully recorded it moved on to the more serious stuff. This is what good journalism is about.

Boo for the TV non-event

The rain dampened to a certain extent the celebrations that were held. It only dampened it as many turned out to for the in door concerts and does and many braved the rain and were on the Valletta Waterfront for the big moment.

The momentousness of the night was flattened out (not just dampened) by the amateurish production broadcast by the three main TV stations. Those who stayed at home were bored to death. Only those most masochistically inclined managed to stomach more than thirty minutes of it. All the persons I spoke to felt really cheated. Instead of constant links with the different activities barring a short link here and there we were regaled by a procession of known and less known persons singing (metaphorically) the glories of the Euro. The real singing was generally left in the background. Instead we generally were given vaguer descriptions by the bevy of ill prepared and totally unscripted and most probably unrehearsed TV presenters from PBS and Net.

How could anyone have so much potential - concerts and fireworks - available and manage to produce something more banal and inane than Il-Lejla! Il-Lejla! and Il-Kunjata lumped up together?

It was really a "produzzjoni tan-NECC", as we say in Maltese.

The real test

The Euro will be a success if its benefits reach the masses. This depends on many different stakeholders. Let me point out two.

Barring last Monday's fiasco. NECC did a very good campaign. The people were inundated with information which was well presented and explained. The past campaign should be a good indication of success for NECC in its future role - in the Prime Minister's words - as a defender of the consumer.

But consumers also have a very important role to play as they were very wisely reminded by the Editor of l-orizzont last Tuesday.

PS. In my last week's posting I promised to write about The Golden Compass "unless anything of greater interest happens". I hope the above proves to be so.