Valletta, Malta European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was due to head the European Union delegation to Malta Saturday to celebrate the island's adoption of the common European currency, the euro. Several top EU officials and prime ministers were scheduled to join Barroso on the Mediterranean island following Malta's introduction of the euro on January 1.
Among those due to attend the celebrations were Council President and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, President of the Euro Group and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commissioner for Monetary and Economic Affairs Joaquin Almunia and President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet.
In addition, the prime ministers of Italy, Belgium and Slovakia, a number of finance and foreign ministers and the governors of several central banks were expected to be present.
Reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy would make a flying visit to Malta ahead of his trip to Saudi Arabia have not been confirmed.
The organizers are not taking any risks as most of the activities have been shifted indoors after unusually heavy showers put a damper on the New Year's euro celebrations.
A number of bilateral meetings were expected to precede a state lunch hosted by Maltese President Eddie Fenech Adami.
Among the activities, Barroso and Almunia will be attending an EU fair in the island's capital, Valletta.
The leaders will then be treated to a concert by the Maltese Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring internationally acclaimed Maltese opera singers Miriam Gauci and Joseph Calleja.
Barroso and Malta's Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi are among those who will then give a speech to mark the occasion.
Gonzi, who also doubles up as the finance minister, is widely credited for turning Malta's economy around, cutting the budget deficit and reining in oil-fuelled inflation to qualify for the euro with weeks ticking to a general election.
The Maltese have shown enthusiasm towards the new currency during the first days of 2008, with three out of every four Maltese citizens paying in euros after just 100 hours of the new currency adoption.
By Friday, 90 per cent of the Maltese were paying in euros, even if the lira will still be accepted in shops until the end of January. However, reports of inflated prices have since dominated media headlines.
Cyprus also joined the eurozone on January 1 to bring to 15 the number of EU states making use of the currency.
