Muscat calls for agreement on two national days

The number of national days should be reduced from five to two, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said, during the party's activity in Birgu to commemorate the 34th anniversary of Freedom Day.

 "I ask myself why 25 years had to go by before the government and Opposition celebrated a National day together," adding that his government was not elected to replace the blue flag with a red one.

Without mentioning his preference on which these two days should be, Muscat said that he wanted Labourites to love Independence Day as much as they loved Freedom Day, and he wished to see Nationalists love Freedom Day as much as they loved Independence Day.

While noting that the remaining days would remain holidays, Muscat expressed his optimism that agreement could be reached on a single day within this generation.

Muscat added that his government was undeniably given a strong mandate following the landslide victory at the polls earlier this month, "however government must remain humble and respect the minority, because humility is measured by the magnanimity shown to the minority."