Speaking during a live televised press conference at the Nationalist Party Headquarters, Dr Gonzi said it was no use having people who were constantly on the defensive in the EP. “We need serious and knowledgeable candidates who will actively participate to get the best for Malta,” he said.

Dr Gonzi said that the EPP was the largest body within the EP and it had a manifesto that was very similar in its values to the manifestos of the PN.

He said: “When you have the strength of the votes of the largest party in Europe behind you, it can only be good for the country.”

Dr Gonzi gave as a practical example an amendment to EU legislation proposed by Malta’s representative on the European Court of Auditors Josef Bonnici. Dr Gonzi said: “Prof. Bonnici proposed a change and because he had the strength of the EPP behind him, his proposal went through.”

Dr Gonzi replied to a question by The Malta Independent: “What could possibly be better for Malta than being part of the largest bloc in the European Parliament?”

He said that the EPP and the PN fundamentally believed in the same thing. “Both parties believe the secret to generating employment and investment is in expanding the EU. “We want to get the best out of the EU and our candidates, if elected, will concentrate on improving our economy, environment, tourism sector and our financial situation,” said the PN leader.

The road was wide open, he said, and it was up to us to make the best use of it. “We are not sending our people there because we see the EU as an enemy, we are sending people there because we want them to get the best out of the Union for the overall good of the country,” he said.

However, Dr Gonzi said that Malta also wanted to contribute to the EU.

“This is a first for Malta,” he said, “and it is the first time that there will be a nation-wide election treating Malta as one single district. In a few hours time, we will have a new Europe.

“We will have a Europe that is being united after thousands of years of conflict. And that is all the more special when we consider that some of the countries who are about to join were, 15 years ago, behind the iron curtain,” said Dr Gonzi.

He reiterated that the PN and the EPP believe that EU expansion is the best way to progress. “And that is why we chose the slogan Yes, growing together within the EU (Iva Nikbru fl-Ewropa).”

“We have a lot to offer the EU and they know that. There was Maltese input in the drafting of the EPP manifesto,” added PN Secretary-General Joe Saliba. He said the EPP had constantly drafted manifestos for each election whereas the European Socialists had only done so for this particular election. Mr Saliba concluded by saying (at midday yesterday) that the seeds for EU membership had been sown by former PM George Borg Olivier 36 years ago, in 1964. “And now, that seed is set to flower in precisely 36 hours time,” he concluded.