[WATCH] Country's leaders mark Freedom Day

Leaders celebrate 36th anniversary of Malta's Freedom Day • Video by Ray Attard

The country's leaders this morning laid wreaths in front of the Freedom Monument, marking the 36th anniversary of the closure of the British military base in Malta.

The activity kicked off with a marching Armed Forces of Malta band from Cospicua to the Freedom Day monument in Vittoriosa, followed by the arrival of AFM commander Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

The traditional Regatta race will be held in the afternoon.

Freedom Day

For many, 31 March is just another public holiday however the feast is celebrated on the anniversary of the definite withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta in 1979.

After taking power in 1971, the Labour government led by Dom Mintoff, opened negotiations with the British government to amend the lease agreement.

In 1972, after nine months of negotiations with Britain, Mintoff finally signed an agreement extending for another seven years Britain's right to use Malta as a naval base.

Mintoff did not get the $72 million in annual rent he originally demanded, but he did get a handsome $36.4 million - about three times what Malta received before Mintoff started setting deadlines for British withdrawal.

On 31 March, 1979 the last British Forces left Malta which spelt the end of a permanent military presence in the islands.  After gaining independence in 1964 and becoming a republic ten years later, on the departure of the British troops, Malta became independent de facto as well as de jure.
In 1989, during the celebrations for Freedom Day, Brigadier John Spiteri was involved in an infamous incident in which he was assaulted during a parade at the foot of the Freedom Monument in Vittoriosa and ended up in the sea.

For some, the public holiday is synonymous with the regatta held at the Grand Harbour. The regatta is a hotly contested affair with a number of teams vying for the much coveted aggregate Regatta Shield.

Malta has the highest number of public holidays in the EU and Freedom Day is one of the national holidays which have been at the centre of an ongoing debate about whether Malta should have more than one national holiday.

A national holiday is a day on which the nationhood or birth of a nation is marked, however Freedom Day also shares that honour with Independence Day, Republic Day, Victory Day and Sette Giugno.