Former Nationalist Party Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has endorsed commentary made by French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron, as reported in yesterday’s Financial Times, where he said:

"I believe [the EU] is a political project. If it's a political project, the human factor is the priority and there are notions of solidarity that come into play... the economy follows on from that, and let's not forget that economics is a moral science."

Dr Gonzi, who was prime minister of Malta between 2004 and 2013, said on a social media post that they were “wise words,” made “even more relevant at this particular moment in time when we are facing a human tragedy that has forced governments to shut down their economies in the interests of their own citizens.

He urged Malta’s politicians to fully and unreservedly support President Macron’s statements at all levels of the European Union.

European countries have been warned about relaxing social distancing measures too soon, especially considering how Europe quickly became the eye of the COVID-19 global storm.

Some businesses are slowly opening doors in Austria, Italy and Spain after strict lockdown measures. But the World Health Organization has warned that the region has "not yet seen the peak" in COVID-19 cases.

The WHO also warned that relaxing measures without boosting healthcare measures could potentially lead to a new spike.

Locally, Prime Minister Robert Abela has been pressured by calls for timelines and dates for when businesses can expect to start opening their doors again. Business-interest groups have called for patience, with leaders reminding the public that ultimately a lengthening of the so-called ‘curve’ is needed to ensure that all who require hospital treatment receive it.