National unity will require a change in culture and mentality - President

The President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca has emphasised the need for a change in culture and people’s mentality, with the aim of strengthening national unity.  

“We cannot expect this process of unity to take only a few days or weeks,” said Coleiro Preca.

“We need a change of culture in our country, and of our mentality as a nation. A change that does not only depend on the Government and the Opposition, but on the effort each and every one of us makes; including the media, civil society, and anyone who has any form of influence in our communities and society.”

Coleiro Preca was giving her address to the House on the occasion of the official opening of the 13th parliamentary legislature where she called on politicians on both sides of the House to strive for national unity after “weeks of intensive electoral campaigning, and after months of intense, and at times even destructive debates.

“In a country with a population of a little under half a million, we cannot let ethnicity, being Maltese or Gozitan, living in the north or south, or coming from a rich or poor background be issues which divide us,” said the President.

The president noted that her speech this year, commonly known as the “speech from the throne”, would be shorter than usual and was intended to show the Government’s direction for the country during this legislature.

She touched upon a number of areas of government work, such as national economic and social advancement.

Constitutional Convention

Coleiro Preca said that during the legislature government would be starting a process that would lead to a Constitutional Convention with the aim of modernising the countries institutions by making them more accessible and accountable to the people.

“Through the changes it proposes, the aim of the Convention, above all, will also be to unite our people,” she said. “The Constitutional Renewal, for the birth of a Second Republic based on national unity, will be part of the legacy of this legislature.”

The president added that it was the Government’s belief that the new Constitution could be a tool that unites the country and prepares it for the challenges ahead.  

Economic and Social Advancement

On the economy, Coleiro Preca acknowledged the “very positive economic advancements” registered by the country, adding that they needed programme focused on “financial sustainability”.  

She said the government would continue to strive to create more wealth while also ensuring a better standard of living for all citizens. This she said will include the reduction of taxes for workers, while also maintaining a “pro-business attitude”.

“Our country’s economic advancement should also be completely targeted to a situation where more people are employed and thus contribute to the country’s economy,” said Coleiro Preca, adding that more work meant less people at risk of poverty and less material poverty in general.

She called on both sides of the House, as well as all stakeholders to work together to safeguard Air Malta, while insisting that the reduction of the gender pay gap, and increased female participation in leadership roles should also be a main priority for the legislature.  

A country ready to face the future

Coleiro Preca spoke of the need for an in-depth discussion on the possibility of having full-time MPs, as well as on the removal of Parliamentary privileges and the removal of Parliamentary immunity.

Furthermore, she said that Parliamentary scrutiny of people occupying “high positions in regulatory authorities, and ambassadors” would strengthen the principle of accountability and meritocracy.

She concluded by stressing that while the government was committed to fulfil its electoral programme in its entirely and in the context of national unity, it was also aware that it could not reach a compromise on everything.

“A collective effort has to be made to ensure that everyone is respected,” she said.