Former Labour leader Alfred Sant urged delegates at the party general conference this evening to stay solidly behind the government because it was not true "the Nationalists accepted defeat".

This was the first time he addressed the general conference since stepping down as party leader in 2008 . He was given a standing ovation, which Dr Sant admitted had moved him.

Dr Sant, who is an MEP candidate, said it was time to "refresh" the way the country visualised its relations with the EU.

He said the Labour government had to ensure it maximised the benefits and addressed the disadvantages of membership and to do this it needed the backing of everyone in the party because the Opposition was not ready to play ball.

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"There are many disadvantages. I keep meeting people who tell me how right I was (Labour under his helm had opposed EU membership) but the problem is that the disadvantages came our way. It would have been better had I been wrong."He said at all levels, not least the European Parliament, the government will have to find backing.

The Labour Party general conference is continuing this evening and will come to a close on Sunday with the Prime Minister's speech.

Dr Sant's message was a reflection of the various thoughts expressed by numerous speakers who said Malta's EU membership should not mean being subservient.Delegates took to the podium praising the government's actions, stringing together a litany of positive achievements and criticising the Opposition's "negative attitude".

Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said the government managed to arrive at an agreement with the Vatican on marriage and the European Commission on the citizenship scheme.

"The only person we cannot reach an agreement with is Simon Busuttil because of his hard-headedness," he said to applause.

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said the government was on track to deliver on its pledge to cut electricity and water bills by an average of 25 per cent in March.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said there were "very good indications" that last year's deficit dropped below three per cent. He said the deficit was cut by €120 million when compared to the previous year's deficit of €342 million.