Although he had expected more from the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, there had been a step in the right direction, which made him hopeful for the coming years, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi admitted yesterday.

Speaking during a radio interview, Dr Gonzi said it was worth noting that when George Bush was President, the USA was reluctant to do much about the climate change issue, but it had now taken a different stance.

One hundred and ninety-four countries making a unanimous commitment was something new, he said. The fact that the EU, the USA and Japan had also said they were prepared to help poorer countries switch to cleaner energy, also kept him optimistic.

During the summit, Dr Gonzi said, he had pointed out something he had been saying for a long time, that the problem of illegal immigration was intrinsically linked to that of climate change, and this was another reason why it was a crucial issue.

A number of immigrants came from Somalia and Eritrea, which were both affected by lack of rainfall, and consequentially a lack of water and food, which led to discord. No one can be blamed for trying to seek a better life, he said.

Furthermore, for Malta, completely surrounded by water, sea levels rising by some inches could result in this entering our water table and ruining the water which farmers, and people in general, make use of.

Therefore it was apparent that attending this summit was not a matter of choice, but the issue was something which could strongly have an effect on Malta. Malta had declared itself prepared to join a list of countries with high ambitions for the reduction of emissions.

Dr Gonzi said the EU was a leader in this area, and had said it would commit itself to lowering emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, but if other countries followed its example, it was prepared to increase this to 30 per cent.

It became apparent in the summit that this was not happening, so the 30 per cent reduction was not looming on the immediate horizon for the EU.

Turning to the allegations which persecuted the government throughout most of last week, Dr Gonzi said this was clear evidence of how a story could be spun. Franco Debono had publicly explained himself, declaring his absolute loyalty to the party, even though this was not even necessary as he had voted as he was meant to.

Such spin stories, he said, did not fall in line with promises the opposition made when Joseph Muscat was chosen as leader. Labour MP Evarist Bartolo had said that the more things change, the more they tended to remain the same, and this held true in this case.

Labour had promised a code of ethics, Dr Gonzi said, which seems to have been hidden in some drawer as the party reverted to reporting techniques reminiscent of the worst times under a Labour government.

The whole government was focused on the good of the country, he said, at times which were more difficult than usual. Dr Gonzi said he hoped the current situation could be turned into an opportunity for the country.

The opposition was like butter on hot toast, he said. It melted and nobody knew exactly where it was going. People within the PL itself were asking where it was going, as it tried adopting a policy to be liked by everyone.

The first 10 years of this millennium had been filled with marvellous adventures, he said, all spearheaded by the Nationalist Party. The millennium started with the government trying to rescue Malta’s application to join the EU, which was set back thanks to the opposition.

A Nationalist government had given the country the clear direction it needed, he said, and 10 years later we were beginning to reap the results. Anyone who objectively compared things to 10 years ago could see how things had improved.

Dr Gonzi said he had many aspirations for 2010, as he was sure it would present opportunities and challenges. Two important reforms, those of Mepa and the public transport system, had to be finalised.

Dr Gonzi said he hoped that in 2010 Malta would be at an advantage and would remain competitive and to incentivise investments. He hoped that Malta would have adjusted to the utility tariffs, he said, as these were a reality, just as they were when oil prices were low.

Despite the fact that there had been moments of worry, results had been achieved, he said. Through a number of reforms the government had freed up resources which were otherwise tied up in things which were not a priority, and put them to better use.

All in all, 2009 had not been easy, but it had its successes. Faced with a problem their way forward had been to sit down and put their heads together to discuss the best solution.

Seeing the graduation halls crammed with students was always a moment of great satisfaction he said, as was receiving children from St Venera Primary. The feeling of shaping children’s future was one of the satisfactions of politics, he said.

There had been problems over the past two years, which had forced many countries to go back to the drawing board. It was useless to say that Malta might have done away with the deficit, if there had been no crisis.

The PN had always believed work gave people dignity, and that their duty was to attract investment to create jobs. It knew the dangers, which was why it worked hard to protect employment. Other countries had seen unemployment rocket, and for some this was predicted to grow further.

As a small state, Malta had weathered the crisis, and was in a better situation than many, thanks to a clear vision, although this did not mean to say in any way that suffering hadn’t been endured.

Dr Gonzi said he had faith that Malta would make Vision 2015 a reality, and at some stages Malta was advanced, while it had to work harder and take decisions in others. The times ahead were determinant for Malta, but the PN track record was one to boast of, and anyone analysing it would see it was one of successes.

Dr Gonzi wished President George Abela a speedy recovery. He concluded that he hoped all the people would look ahead together for a successful year.