Victor Galea Pace.

Former Nationalist MP Victor Galea Pace who was elected from the Gozo district in the 1996 and 1998 general elections died at Mater Dei Hospital on Friday night. He was 72.

Prior to his parliamentary career he was elected as the first mayor of Victoria in 1993.

In a tweet Opposition leader Simon Busuttil yesterday described the former MP as a “good friend” who would be remembered for his loyalty. In a statement issued later the Nationalist Party expressed its condolences to the Galea Pace family.

Contacted by Times of Malta, former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono who has been uninterruptedly returned to Parliament since 1987, described her former colleague as a man of integrity.

“He was a very affable person who was always upbeat and concerned about the welfare of others both during his stint as an MP and when he served as a mayor,” she remarked.

The former minister said that up to the very end of his days Mr Galea Pace remained in good spirits, while recalling her last meeting with him some two months ago.

Meanwhile tributes to the former MP were also paid on the Facebook page of his wife Vivienne and his two sons Mark and Kurt.