The president of the General Workers’ Union has appealed for partisan interests not to overcome the national interest, after the citizenship scheme attracted bad international press.

In his end-of-year message, Victor Carachi said the publicity had damaged Malta’s reputation and he appealed to politicians to keep their fights local “if we truly believe in an active and living democracy”.

“We, as a people, are obliged not to harm the country,” he said without referring to any of the political parties.

He touched on a number of other issues facing the country, including the need to continue fighting precarious work and poverty.

Emphasising his union’s bold stance against poor working conditions, Mr Carachi said that, although the situation still needed to improve, the issue had been put on the national agenda and measures against these practices were on the rise.

There was also the need to continue to tackle poverty as it was not acceptable in today’s world.

Mr Carachi said that the GWU is also in favour of changes to improve and modernise the Constitution and said this should include the possibility of establishing one national day for the country.

“We must explore whether the time has come to have one National Day without diminishing the prestige of other national days which should still remain public holidays.”

He said that Malta should always strive to find ways to unite its citizens.