Malta and the E.U. implications for Gozo

Abstract

Malta's relationship with the European Union has been high on the national agenda for well over a decade. There is widespread agreement on the island that continued national development, be it economic, political or social, can only occur in the context of a close association with the European Union. The Opposition considers that this association should take the form of a free trade area between Malta and the Union. My Government believes that Malta should be a member of the Union in its own right, and the electorate has given this administration the mandate to negotiate the best possible conditions under which this is to happen. Ultimately, as is fitting in a democracy such as ours, it will be the people who will take the final decision in a referendum which my Government is confident will lead to Malta's accession to the European Union in the near future. All countries are in a constant state of change, and all governments must constantly strive to drive that change in a positive direction: standards made ever higher, conditions for the business community and entrepreneurs actively improved, and opportunities for students and youth further expanded.