Customs and traditions
According to Abbreviationfinder, the Maltese are often hospitable and generous. The family is very important. Maltese food is a combination of British and Sicilian cuisine, with influences from other Mediterranean countries as well.
How to greet Malta depends on age, gender, social class and how well you know each other. Generally expressed, one can often see a combination of a British more reserved approach and a more open and expressive behavior. If you are formally greeted it is a handshake that applies. People from the countryside or working class usually pat each other in the back, shoulder or arm when they are seen. Elderly people can greet each other by using a nickname or a short form of the name.
- Countryaah: Overview of the capital city of Malta, including information about its population, economy, geography, history and map.
In Malta, it is fun to invite guests home, sometimes just for drinks and snacks, sometimes for dinner. Anyone invited to dinner often brings a gift, such as wine, chocolate or flowers. Foreign guests can bring a souvenir from their home country. The pleasant climate means that people often spend time outdoors, for example in the local squares. Sometimes there can be strong rivalry between different villages, which can lead to heated discussions about politics, football or the saints of the villages.
The family, including grandparents, grandparents, uncles, cousins and others, is very important. The whole family usually gather for big birthdays, weddings and more. The children usually stay with their parents until they get married. Divorce was only allowed in 2011.
Meals and typical food
Breakfast and lunch are light meals, while dinner, which is usually eaten between 6pm and 8pm, is the main meal. In the afternoons and afternoons snacks are often eaten with tea or coffee. Picnics by the sea are common in the summer. Maltese food is a combination of British and Sicilian cuisine, with influences from other Mediterranean countries as well. A stew made of rabbit meat, fennel, can be said to be the national dish. Fish is the usual dinner, often in the form of soup. Pastries made from filo dough, pastizzi, are often filled with cheese, spinach or anchovies. In desserts and sweet pastries, nuts are common, indicating Arab influences. Christmas food usually follows the British tradition of turkey and fruit cakes.
Holidays
According to Countryaah, Malta belongs to the EU countries that have the most holidays. In addition to the Catholic holidays, Independence Day is celebrated on September 21 after the day 1964 when Malta became independent from the United Kingdom.
2012
December
Disrupted balance of power and new elections
The government loses its majority in parliament when a member votes against the own conservative Nationalist Party’s draft budget. As a result, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announces elections until March 2013. The opposition Labor Party is leading in
November
New EU Commissioner appointed
Foreign Minister Tonio Borg is nominated as new Maltese EU Commissioner after John Dali’s departure (see October 2012). Borg is met by harsh criticism from several groups in the European Parliament, who say his opposition to abortion and homosexuality makes him unsuitable as a commissioner. Borg declares that he must comply with the EU Treaty and stand for European values in the work of the Commission. The European Parliament approves Borg as new commissioner, despite harsh criticism from the left and the center, and the member states also give their final approval.
October
Briber beats EU Commissioner
The Maltese EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, is forced to step down. Dalli is accused of having known a bribery attempt from his office, where Swedish Match should have been offered that the EU’s ban on snuff could be lifted in exchange for bribes of around SEK 500 million.
