Libya’s escape from 40 years of dictatorship was the best news we have had in many years of financial and economic crises, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

“One year after the uprising in Libya, I remain amazed at what the Libyan people have managed to achieve,” he said.

He was closing a seminar on the first anniversary of the uprising that brought down dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

“I am convinced Libya will be a success story. The building blocks are in place and now Libya is looking towards holding its first free election to elect a provisional government to draft the country’s new constitution.”

Dr Gonzi said Malta reacted as soon as trouble in Libya started brewing and “we witnessed what we saw on television”.

“We had to take a stand against something that was happening in Libya, which went against our core values. Yes, we threw 40 years of relations out of the window but we took a stand, not out of convenience but out of conviction,” he said.

Looking to the future, Dr Gonzi said Malta should discuss new ways of doing business with the North African nation.

“We have to start a new chapter together. We expect Libya to be at the forefront to achieve stability in the Mediterranean region and also in the Middle East.”

He promised Malta’s support throughout this process and explained Libya had a lot of potential, especially in tourism.

Dr Gonzi said the two countries could benefit each other by acting as gateways to the European and North African markets.

He expressed hope that Libya would continue giving priority to tackling illegal migration.

“Malta will remain concerned about illegal immigration because we suffered a lot as a result of this influx, probably the worst hit country considering our size and densely populated area.

“We expect Libya to continue controlling its shores,” he said.

The seminar – organised by Nationalist Party think-tank AZAD ­– was also addressed by Ahmed Jehani, the National Transitional Council’s spokesman on reconstruction and rehabilitation.

He spoke about the way Libya was focusing on electing 200 politicians, not technocrats, to lead the provisional government and draft the new constitution.

Dr Jehani explained the National Transitional Council’s measures to create jobs and encourage foreign investment, adding the present problem is lack of security and stability.