EU membership was in the long-term interest of the country, President George Abelasaid this morning.
Speaking during a conference on the first five years of Malta's EU membership, he described the last five years as historic and important to the island.
"This milestone after just 40 years of independence was a remarkable achievement which showed us how with sacrifice, optimism, determination and courage, great things can be achieved even by a small country like ours," he said.
Dr Abela said that Maltese values formed the very foundation of the EU.
This meant that Malta had joined a union which complemented its values and ideal.s Being in the EU, Dr Abela said, was in the long-term interest of the country.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi spoke on the reconstitution of Meusac , which he said, gave civil society a stronger voice which now had to be maximised.
Malta shared the same goals and visions of other EU states.
"We as a country are better off than when we were not members although we are aware that there were sectors which faced problems in the first six months of membership," he said.
Small businesses faced big competition because of the open market but then learnt how to give customers a good quality product at a good price and good value for money.
Fear of change had been the main obstacle to Malta’s EU membership bid but looking back one could now seen that such fear was unfounded.
He said he was pround that Malta was now a successful EU state.
The Prime Minister said that a year after Malta introduced the euro, this had sheltered the Matlese economy and the Maltese managed to shift from one currency to another in a smooth way.
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said that May 1, 2004 had not been a destination but a starting point for Malta.
"We have to now look beyond the here and now. We have to work hard to ensure that the financial crisis passes with the least possible affect on Malta," he said.
Dr Muscat spoke about his vision of Malta in the EU.
"The EU is about people. The financial crisis shook the confidence of many and faced an uncertain future, they asked if they had a future. Students ask if they have any prospects...," he said.
Dr Muscat said that due to broken promises and bad decisions all over Europe, Europeans were blaming the EU for being passive in the face of what was happening. Malta needed to be a leader not a follower with civil society not feeling like outsiders in the decision making process, he stressed.