History, Recent Events

The Nationalists retained their majority in the February 1992 election, and in 1994 Ugo Mifsud-Bonnici became president. In 1990 Malta and Libya renewed their bilateral cooperation treaty until 1995. Ties between the two countries were strengthened by the abolition of visa requirements and the establishment of Voice of the Mediterranean, a jointly administered radio station. Malta submitted an application for full membership in the European Union (EU) in 1990, and negotiations were high priority until 1996, when the newly elected government under prime minister Alfred Sant put Malta’s application on hold. Eddie Fenech-Adami again became prime minister in September 1998, and Malta reopened its bid for EU membership. In April 1999 Professor Guido de Marco was sworn in as president.