A supremely satisfied President George Abela yesterday said he was proud of the Maltese for proving they did not have a "recession in values".

Thanking them for their wholesome donations to the fundraising marathon L-Istrina, which on Saturday raised €2,329,792 for charity, Dr Abela said there was no doubt that the decision to do away with the giving of prizes in the annual event had been a good one.

Last year there was some controversy about the emphasis placed on gifts as an incentive to call in with a donation. But when Dr Abela's office took over the organisation this year, the first decision taken was for this practice to be stopped.

"The Maltese rose to this new challenge. I always had faith that they would, even though there were sceptics. But I didn't expect such a large amount to be collected," he told The Times exuberantly.

He said the important thing was to love one's neighbour and share with others, expecting nothing in return.

Dr Abela added that there were still things to improve about the show, especially on a technical level, such as to ensure more intimacy in the actual venue and create more space for the audience.

However, he thanked everyone who participated and said he had no doubt that people would respond to the call next year because they understood the importance of giving to people in need.

TV presenter Peppi Azzopardi, who began L-Istrina over a decade ago from his flat in Msida, said he was relieved that the fundraising marathon had finally got the ownership it deserved.

He explained that when the company Where's Everybody stopped organising L-Istrina three years ago, PBS had to outsource it to different organisers every year and it lost ownership.

"Now, this will ensure L-Istrina's permanence in the Maltese calendar for many years to come."

Mr Azzopardi said this was a "very positive evolution" and the fact that President Abela had been appointed with national consensus helped too. He said this year's organisation was "excellent, near perfect".

"This year the people rose to the challenge that President Abela proposed and proved what we have been saying all along, that the Maltese don't donate money to win any prizes but just out of generosity. However, the concept of gifts shouldn't be demonised because there are NGOs who need to use this formula for fundraising," he said.

"Solidarity does not stop with money donations. Right now, in Malta, we have a prisoner that is dying of cancer in his cell and the President, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the Archbishop should show solidarity with him too, and do something concrete towards his immediate release before it is too late."

PBS chairman Clare Thake Vassallo said she was pleased that things had gone so well and that there was a feel-good nature about the show. She pointed out that even the video clips used this year managed to strike the right balance and be more positive than in previous years.

"I think all this confirms the generosity of the Maltese. In 15 years we collected €17 million - for a population of 400,000 that is no joke. PBS is very proud to have been involved from the start, including this year."

She said PBS did not have the human resources to put on the show itself so it was good that the Malta Community Chest Fund was now in charge of it and putting in so much effort.

"The people in the President's team understand television. The hangar was such a pleasure to work in - if only we had studios of that capacity in Malta, it enables you to set your imagination free and create a beautiful set."

She said there were different formulae but this year's was an excellent one because people felt proud to donate without the possibility of winning prizes.

"It doesn't mean that people were less generous in the past. It's just that people did not like the prize system anymore."

Meanwhile, people from all quarters have congratulated this year's organisation and results, highlighting especially the active and dedicated involvement of the President.

But in typical Maltese fashion, some did not refrain from politicising the issue, saying that this only proved right the Prime Minister's vision in nominating Dr Abela for the role.