Though as one of the regular “Maltese gemgem” brigade I am somewhat euro critical if not sceptical and though I still remember what that great UK Conservative politician, Sir Frederick Bennet, stated years back at one of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s Campaign for National Independence lectures prior to Malta’s EU accession referendum – that the EU, being continent-wide, might not be in tune with its peripherals – recent developments are showing me that people, nations and their responsible leaders are much better than one would think.

Undoubtedly, Europeans have learned much from the carnage in the 20th century of two world wars and the dire consequences of ineffectual leaders such as Britain’s Neville Chamberlain and bullying despots, be they fascist, Nazi or communist, as well as from the enslavement of half the continent by Soviet Russia.

Thus, it comes as a breath of fresh air that the pro-EU Finnish groups are striving for their country to offer a hand of solidarity to Portugal, a friend in need (Pro-EU Finnish Groups Push Portugal Rescue – “Finland could back the European Union bailout for Portugal this week, in spite of last month’s general election breakthrough by a populist eurosceptic party.” Financial Times online, May 10).

The Finns have learned from direct experience what it is to lose so much territory to a large neighbour and, undoubtedly, they are in the EU to unite with other freedom-respecting peoples so that they will never again have to back down from their legitimate claims.