The national unity that both political parties have encouraged over the past weekend as Malta celebrated the 50th anniversary from Independence Day seems to have been short-lived.

A call for Independence Day to become Malta’s national day made on Sunday evening by the Opposition Leader has been quickly shot down by the government in a terse statement this morning.

Dr Busuttil put forward the proposition during a speech at Independence Gardens in Sliema yesterday, an event organized by the Nationalist Party.

Malta has five national holidays - Sette Giugno, The Feast of Our Lady of Victories, Freedom Day, Independence Day and Republic Day. The Malta Independent on Sunday yesterday proposed that Independence Day should be the sole national day.

“In the light of the national unity this week, I am making a proposal that I believe can unite us a nation,” he said.

His proposal however, was not welcomed by the government.

In a press statement this morning, the government said it is a pity that the leader of the opposition has failed to understand the ‘national spirit’ the government has instilled.

In the year that Malta is celebrating 35th anniversary of Freedom Day, 40th from Republic Day, and 50th from Independence, the Leader of the Opposition has chosen to separate one anniversary from the other, the statement said. “Only 24 hours after both party leaders addressed their speech about unity, the leader of the opposition has again chosen to speak in a way that divides, and not unites.”

The statement concluded, that any discourse about national festivities, should be done in accordance to the constitutional convention, and not addressed to party activities, during a political event.