Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening that Greece's unequivocal vote cannot be taken lightly since it carries consequences not only for Greece but also for the people in creditor countries and for the whole European project.

The Greek government has sought to protect the people's interest using the method it deemed best. People in creditor countries now expect their representatives to protect their interest and the European interest too, Dr Muscat said.

If the early indications of the Greece referndum are confirmed, we are heading towards an unprecedented situation as this would be the first time that a country moved to the brink of leaving membership of the eurozone, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil told The Malta Independent.

Such an exit would have significant repercussions, not just on Greece, which will have to reintroduce its own currency, but for the entire zone, including Malta.

In the face of this, the Opposition calls upon the government to redouble its efforts to protect our national interest

There is a lot at stake for us, both in terms of our debt exposure with Greece as will as out interest as a eurozone country.