[WATCH] Muscat calls for national pride and unity in New Year message

The country is heading into 2017 in a better position than a year ago, because it is stronger than ever and heading in the right direction, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Saturday in his New Year message.

“Malta is one of the most stable countries in Europe, and its economy is one of the strongest in the EU,” Muscat said. “That’s what makes us Maltese the people who are most positive about the future.”

He noted that, as of Sunday, the country would take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, for the first time in the country’s history.

Muscat called for more unity and for everyone to unite behind those things that brought people together, while not allowing anyone to cast doubt on the country’s unity and its pride in its achievements.

“Let us also, as Maltese and Gozitan brothers and sisters, show everyone that we have matured as a modern European country with solid values,” he said. “2017 must be the year that strengthens our pride as a nation; a humble people, strong and hard-working.”

“We should all, as a united country, be very proud,” the prime minister said. “We will not be a bigger country, we will remain the smallest in the EU, we will remain sensitive to the needs of Maltese and Gozitan families and businesses.”

But Muscat insisted that – the country’s limitations aside – Malta should rise to the occasion and make this upcoming European Presidency a success.

“A success for Europe, which faces huge challenges in the months ahead, but also a success for our country, as we show that a country’s size is not an impairment but can actually be advantageous,” he said.

Challenging the establishment

Muscat acknowledged that 2016 had proven a challenge for countries around the world, as people sometimes chose not accept the status quo and challenged the establishment in unstable situations.

This did not mean that the people made the wrong decisions but it was a sign that people would no longer accept whatever bothered them and would no longer tolerate having someone trying to convince them to be happy with what they had.

“We should accept the lessons 2016 taught us as an opportunity,” Muscat said. “And Malta too should be careful to understand these lessons.”

He said it was necessary to introduce a renewed sense of unity in Europe and the Maltese presidency would in fact be launching a new EU project, called ‘reunion’, aimed at reuniting Europe.

“In the meantime, we will be working to promote a humble and honest agenda on a European level in a bid to push forward those priorities that will make a difference in the homes of every European citizen, including ours,” he said.

Muscat said his priority – and that of his government – would remain making a positive difference in every family.

“You will find me and my colleagues with you and near you, more than ever before,” he promised.

He acknowledged that, economic growth notwithstanding, there were some who might feel like they were falling behind while others were demanding better employment conditions.

“We will continue to tackle these realities with facts,” he said. “We are able to address these issues because of what we did in the first three and a half years of this legislature to strengthen our economy.”

Building on the success already registered

Muscat said the government had succeeded in helping pensioners, low-income families, disabled persons, small business, working mothers and women, single-parent families and middle-class families, where more people felt they belonged.

“All this was not a coincidence but a result of our careful work in the past three and a half years,” he said. “From day one, we started the economic wheel turning again when we reduced income tax and lowered the water and electricity tariffs.”

Muscat said the government tackled unemployment and encouraged mothers and parents to seek employment by helping them with their everyday needs.

And for the first time in years, the government had also helped pensioners, raising their pensions and doing away with the pensions tax, he said.

“We have, effectively, raised the minimum wage,” Muscat said. “But we can lose everything if we are not careful and if we do not consider our choices well.”

As for 2017, Muscat said he wanted this next year to be successful for everyone.

“When we look back at 2017 in a year’s time, I hope to see we made less mistakes, reached decisions more wisely and pushed forward every strata of society,” he said. “We want to end 2017 in a better position than we start it now.”

In his name and on behalf of his wife and children, and the government, Muscat concluded by wishing everyone a new year filled with happiness, wealth, good health and unity.