New Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia said today that in the same way Malta's independence paved a new road which united the country, he was confident that the PN leadership election was also a new road for unity and progress.
Dr Delia was replying to questions on Net TV in the first interview since becoming party leader, and hours before the PN's independence celebrations start.
The former Birkirkara FC president narrowly beat PN MP Chris Said during yesterday's election at the end of an acrimonious campaign.
Dr Delia recalled that there had been uncertainty, even fear, when Malta gained independence, but that milestone in the country's history had yielded unity and progress, and he was confident that the Nationalist Party too was embarking on a new road which would have its problems but which would ultimately lead to unity and success.
"Let us let bygones be bygones, let us look ahead and move forward because success for the PN will ultimately be a success for Malta," he said.
Dr Delia said he disagreed with (Joseph Muscat's) promise of bringing about an earthquake when he was elected because earthquakes were destructive and caused casualties, but he wanted to bring about a change of mentality in the PN and the country in the same way as the country's mentality changed when it joined the European Union.
He said he wanted to spend as much of his day with the people so that the people could shape the PN's agenda. He started this morning with coffee at the PN club in Siġġiewi and such chats with the people helped focus his mind on what the people's real needs were, he said.
He underscored the need for unity, not just in the PN, but the country. "We need politics based on hope and the aspirations of the people," he said.
"This country is too small to be divided. If our only resource is the people, we would be weakening the country by fighting each other. We need to battle ideas, not persons."
He said he would like to meet all those who had not supported him, to discuss their concerns. He was confident that many would eventually become ambassadors of the PN, helping the party to convey its message.
He would also seek to involve the other leadership candidates because the party stood to benefit from their ideas and energy.