“The European Union is not only a mosaic, but it is also a project. A project that has not ended yet. A project that we want to form part of to contribute in its process – with ideas, with values and with our work.”
How appropriate was this sentence in our Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s speech on 1 May 2004, the day Malta joined the European Family.
A day that proved itself memorable not only thanks to the festivities organised in the Grand Harbour but also, and more importantly, because we set ourselves on a mission not only by joining the European Union but to succeed within it.
When Dr Gonzi reminded us in his speech that day that back in 1965, former Prime Minister Gorg Borg Olivier already declared that our place was in Europe, with the other members of the family, it proved the continuity and the belief well sowed within our hearts that we are Europeans and we want to grow within the European Union.
This event came and we are still living it. When we became members of the European Union, we entered a process of growth and changes. Not only did Malta enter a club because it had all the credentials to do so, but it now also has the right to operate on the same level as other countries and contribute significantly in world politics.
This also means that Malta has also made its voice heard among investors, groups of companies looking for stepping-stones into European markets that are interested to invest their money on our island and create thousands of jobs. Malta’s rate of foreign investment is on the increase every year, as is the rate of jobs created.
Malta and its population have potential to succeed in every challenge they face and the Nationalist Party has always believed in the people. That is why when on 21 September 1964 Malta gained Independence, Dr Borg Olivier said he believed in our people and believed that the Maltese must be represented in the highest places of world politics. He also believed that our place was in Europe and since 4 May 1965, he declared in front of the European Council that the Maltese people wanted to start working towards accession.
Coming back to present days, what these people dreamed of we managed to achieve. We put our nation back home. We gained membership and now we are starting to reap the fruits.
With much hard work we managed to obtain e855 million funding, started much-needed work on roads all over the country, attracted major investments, and will soon donate a state-of-the-art hospital to the population, while at the same time reduce taxes. That is what I believe is a government that has a social conscience and respect for Maltese worker.
No, I have not forgotten that 1 May is also Worker’s Day. Thanks to the European Union, Maltese workers can improve their skills through training programmes and exchanges, and today they have a better choice of better-paid jobs thanks to the attraction of foreign investors while at the same time benefit from common European workers’ rights.
The Nationalist Party in government has always sought to attract quality and quantity in the jobs for our workers. Investments such as SmartCity are a case in point.
Being the political party that through history has attracted major investment towards our country and achieved historic goals is no joke. That proves consistency in our beliefs to reach the goals set by our people.
Consistency to improve the Maltese people’s lives, consistency to improve the quality of foreign investment, consistency to guarantee the best education for our children that will lead them to good quality jobs. That is what makes the Nationalist Party associated with the well-being of Maltese society.
When we became members of the European Union, we showed the Maltese people that we believe in them and by joining the European Union, we are providing more tools for us to succeed.
The work must not stop. We must look for further opportunities to improve ourselves such as the changeover to euro. It is another opportunity to gain more opportunities such as investments, another tool to solidify our economy for further growth.
With more countries waiting on the doorstep to return home proves how important it was to vote “Yes” in the referendum. Everybody now understands what Alfred Sant wanted us to miss.
The next goal is to assure that the euro enters on 1 January next year and to guarantee that the e855 million are used for the benefit of all society. This is only assured by the Nationalist Party in government, the government that wants the best for all society.
David Casa is a Nationalist MEP
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www.davidcasa.eu