[WATCH] New foreign minister Evarist Bartolo says Malta needs to rebuild its reputation

Speaking about his new portfolio as foreign minister, Evarist Bartolo said that the priority should be the reconstruction of Malta's reputation after what had happened in recent years.

"The new portfolio is a big challenge. We need to rebuild our reputation after what has happened. It cannot be reconstructed by me just by speaking well for Malta when abroad. It happens when our institutions are working well, when we have honesty and integrity in all of our different economic sectors and when we show that Malta is seriously against criminality and corruption. Only then can I speak well about Malta," he said. 

The new minister for foreign and european affairs was on his way to his swearing in at the Palace in Valletta, telling MaltaToday that a good reputation would guarantee foreign investment for the betterment of the country.

Asked about his work as education minister, now in the hands of Owen Bonnici, Bartolo said that he would have never concluded his work in the education sector.

"Even if I lived for 500 years, 400 of which were spent as education minister, I would not have concluded my work. In education, there's always work to be done no matter what you do. There are things you feel satisfied with because they succeeded, others not so much. The work started should continue, especially in the realms of post-secondary education and education in childcare centres, and I'm sure it will," he said.