Malta’s national day - the Otto Settembre

Abstract

This year's independence celebrations have rekindled the topic concerning Malta's national day, which was tackled, two years ago, by the then President of the Republic of Malta, George Abela. At the time, his speech on Republic Day raised more than an eyebrow in many quarters. He suggested Malta should have just two national days - Independence Day and Republic Day, omitting to mention in his proposal 31 March (Freedom Day). This was a courageous political move even if it drew criticism from various Labour quarters. This year the issue has cropped up once again but stirred less controversy; a sign that the country is progressing towards political maturity.