Monument to Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici Inaugurated in Castille Square

Press Release│12 November 2025

A monument to Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Prime Minister of Malta from 1984 until 1987, has been inaugurated in Castille Square, Valletta, following a collaboration between Heritage Malta and the Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government, under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister.

The work of artist Manuel Farrugia, the monument consists of a pedestal made of Maltese hardstone, supporting a life-sized bronze statue. It is a realistic and contemporary monument in which, through the choice of pedestal material, the artist conveys Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s love for his country.

The former Prime Minister is portrayed seated, in a pose that radiates humility. His absence of a jacket and his rolled-up sleeves reflect his dedication to hard work and his closeness to the people. With hands gently clasped and one elbow resting on his suitcase, the figure captures the essence of a man always willing to listen and engage with others.

Crafted in Italy, the monument will serve not only as a tribute to the former Prime Minister but also as an additional enhancement to Castille Square through its reference to another important figure in Malta’s political history.

Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was born in Cospicua on the 17th of July 1933. He was a lawyer by profession and lectured in industrial and fiscal law at the University of Malta. On 2nd May 1982, Dr Mifsud Bonnici was co-opted to Parliament and appointed Minister of Labour and Social Services. The following year, he was appointed Senior Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on 22nd December 1984. He passed away on 5th November 2022.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s legacy is still enjoyed and experienced today. “As a politician, he thought about the future. He was formidable in his way of thinking, and so adamant about fulfilling his vision that during the political developments that were unfolding, he insisted and succeeded in introducing the principle of neutrality   along with another change we benefit from today – that the will of the majority of the people should be supreme, a legal amendment that strengthened democracy and brought stability,” stated the Prime Minister.

Dr Abela said that for Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Malta was not a small island but part of a larger reality, that of the Mediterranean. For him, there was one world of different people that deserved to be free and able to choose their leaders freely, through political and social systems that they choose themselves.

“When he was about to enshrine the neutrality clause, he insisted that in issues that arise between countries we should look for specific ways. This is still relevant today,” stated the Prime Minister as he reflected on Mifsud Bonnici’s legacy.

Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government, remarked that there wasn’t a Karmenu of politics, a Karmenu of advocacy and another as a private person; there was only one Karmenu, authentic, the man that gave his all for the benefit of the worker and of our country.

Minister Bonnici described Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici as a gentleman, a person of principle who never compromised on what is right and just. He said that Mifsud Bonnici was never swayed by money, so much so that as a lawyer he was very merciful with clients, and he even shared his University income with students in need. He added that this monument is the least the Maltese State can do to honour a gentleman who gave everything for Malta, which he loved so deeply.

Heritage Malta’s Chairman, Mario Cutajar, stated that Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s kindness, humanity, and humility are well known and recognised. Less so, however, is his political, legal, and intellectual legacy. The impact of what he left behind is still felt today, in the stable democracy we live in and the peace we enjoy, despite what is happening around us. National monuments, which also fall under Heritage Malta’s responsibility, should serve – just as the agency’s museums and sites do – as reminders of the experiences of our people, helping us to better understand who we are and to look to the future with greater confidence.