More than €15 million was raised during George Abela’s presidency through countless initiatives the energetic President took part in, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

Moving a motion for the House to thank Dr Abela for his service to the country, Dr Muscat said the choice made by then Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had proven to be right and he was proud to have seconded it.

Facts had shown that this was a presidency for everyone. President Abela was a symbol of unity and an inspiration for many NGOs.

A challenge Parliament would face in the near future was how the role of the President would develop and Dr Abela had made a contribution on this matter. The presidency was not a bed of roses and at times he had to take decisions which were not easy, but for this he had nothing but respect for him.

Seconding the motion, Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil thanked Dr Abela for making a success of a presidency which had started as something of an experiment. It was the first time in Maltese history that a President was nominated from the opposite political camp, but thanks to Dr Abela’s commitment and charisma, it had been successful. He stuck to his commitment that above all political colours, first and foremost “we are Maltese”.

One could not forget the person without whom this presidency would never even have happened – Lawrence Gonzi, who rose above political differences.

Dr Abela worked hard and was the moral custodian of the island’s rich national heritage, which he made more accessible to the public.

He had a love for life and an extraordinary capacity for turning personal interests into public ones. He managed to generate interest and enthusiasm because he believed in the causes.

In closing, Dr Busuttil also paid tribute to Mrs Abela, whom he described as her husband’s “guiding light”.