Austrian President Heinz Fischer’s two-day state visit to Malta draws to an end this morning, with a departure ceremony at the airport.
Addressing a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at Castille yesterday, the President said the Maltese government’s and Dr Gonzi’s “courageous action taken last year at the height of the Libya crisis brought you and your country international recognition and respect.”
On the financial and economic crisis, Dr Fischer said: “As gateways – Malta to the south and Austria to the east – both countries were able to relatively successfully resist the crisis, but there is also no doubt that we have to adapt their systems to the necessities of our time.”
He said it is essential that the countries’ economic systems are continuously built on a strong and sound footing. Austria considers Malta’s role as an economic (and humanitarian) hub for North Africa as crucial, said President Fischer, adding that Austria is proud to be represented in Malta by various banks and companies, being aware of Malta’s leading role in the region.
“We are also very happy that the conclusion of a code-sharing agreement between Air Malta and Austrian Airlines provides now daily flights between Malta and Vienna.”
Dr Gonzi, on his part, spoke about the historical ties between Malta and Austria. These date back to 1518, when Malta was ruled by the Hapsburg Dynasty, until the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ceded Malta to the Knights of St John in 1530, noted the prime minister.
Like the Austrian President, Dr Gonzi spoke about the way Austria and Malta dealt with the economic and financial crises, and said the two countries are among the best economic performers in the EU, registering the lowest unemployment rates and displaying strong overall resilience to external shocks.
Talking about Austrian investment in Malta, he said growth has particularly been registered in the services sector.
“The Austrian investment in the Malta International Airport is a testament to your faith in our economy and its potential. Similarly, financial institutions, especially banks, have found a home away from home in Malta. There are also firms growing as part of the manufacturing sector, notably in the area of pharmaceuticals.”
Dr Gonzi said Malta has established itself as an ideal location for industrial processes requiring high value-added input, software development and financial services, which can offer Austrian companies a number of opportunities for establishing a presence in Malta and in the region.
“My government’s investment in infrastructure, human resources and in the restructuring of its regulatory framework has made it a viable investment partner strategically placed between the European, African and Middle East markets. In this sense, we believe Malta can become a partner for the internationalisation of Austrian companies in the south. I stress our continuous commitment to providing every assistance and support in this regard.”