Historians Henry Frendo and Dominic Fenech would respectively vote for Independence Day and Republic Day as the sole National Day were they to be given the choice, while President Emeritus George Abela chooses the middle ground, suggesting that both should be granted the status.

The debate on whether Malta should have one single National Day – not the five we have at present – was sparked once again over the weekend when Malta celebrated the 50th anniversary of Independence in what was seemingly a united country.

But the differences started all over again yesterday after the government rejected a suggestion made on Sunday by Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil for Independence Day to be named as the only national day. The Malta Independent on Sunday, in its editorial Sunday, had also called for Independence Day to be named as the one and only national day.

The Malta Independent yesterday asked Dr Abela, Prof. Frendo and Prof. Fenech for their views.

President George Abela said that the only two national days should be the commemoration of the country’s independence on 21 September and 13 December, when Malta became a republic.

Dr Abela’s position did not change since he made this same statement during his speech as part of the ceremony to commemorate the 38th anniversary since Malta became a republic, in December 2012.

While acknowledging their historic importance, he had said that time is ripe to reach an agreement to have only two national holidays. At the time, Dr Abela said that he is convinced that there is now the required political maturity to take this bold step.

The president had expressed his belief that national days have to reflect the special significance and relevance to the political history in the context of the developments which led the country to achieve its sovereign, independent and republican status. As a result he made his case for Independence Day and Republic Day to be the sole national days.

Prof Henry Frendo said that Independence Day should be chosen as our national day.

“Most former colonies celebrate Independence as a nation, so why does Malta have to be different?” he asked.

He said that it was a mistake on Dom Mintoff’s part to have snubbed Independence Day, and later abolishing Independence Day as both a public holiday and national festivity.

“Mintoff should have risen to the occasion and joined Dr Borg Olivier on the podium and not gone against the current; he would have been cheered in the same way Dr Borg Olivier was.

“At the time,” Prof Frendo explained, Mr Mintoff had taken umbrage over the fact that Dr Borg Olivier did not include Mr Mintoff’s proposed Six Points in the draft referendum resolution.

He explained that on 30 December 1957, when talks tied to integration plans collapsed, Mr Mintoff decided to ride the same wave as Dr Borg Olivier and call for independence.

“Parliament had voted unanimously after Mr Mintoff proposed Malta becomes independent, with Dr Borg Olivier seconding the motion.

“In fact, ironically, the Labour Party fought more aggressively than the Nationalist Party for independence while the Nationalist Party fought for it in a more subtle manner,” Prof Frendo said. But when the time came for Independence, Mr Mintoff had snubbed it.

Prof Frendo hailed the Nationalist Party for having gone on celebrating Independence Day despite the fact that for a number of years, such an occasion was marred by violence leading to PN supporters ending up injured.

Turning to today’s situation, Prof Frendo said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who did not live those days, is wisely trying to be on the right side of history and acknowledging Independence Day, unlike his predecessors.

Prof Dominic Fenech said that if one were to insist on having one national day, it should be Republic Day since it was achieved through consensus.

“This is what truly defines what we wish to be, ourselves, while independence defines us as being an ex colony,” Prof Fenech said.

“It comes as no surprise to me that Nationalist Party leader is proposing Independence Day should be the sole national day.”

He added that the Labour Party in government conceded a lot this year when it celebrated Independence Day in the way it did.