Malta's Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami said he would hand over power to his Nationalist Party successor Lawrence Gonzi on Tuesday instead of staying on until after the tiny Mediterranean island joins the European Union on May 1.

Gonzi, the deputy prime minister a devout Catholic lawyer, won a Nationalist Party leadership election last month, which given the party's majority in parliament, will give him post of prime minister.

"I am doing this with great calmness... I thank all those who understood that what the party was doing, was doing it for the benefit of the country," said Fenech Adami, overcome by emotion as he addressed late Saturday the party he has led for three decades.

Fenech Adami, who has led Malta for the past 19 years, announced last month on his 70th birthday that he would step down, but was expected to stay at his post until Malta formally joins the European Union on May 1.

Instead he told party members Saturday he would preside over his last cabinet meeting on Monday and hand his resignation to President Guido de Marco on Tuesday.

A swearing-in ceremony for Gonzi is to be held after Fenech Adami's formal resignation.

Gonzi announced his government program at the party meeting, with using EU membership to improve the lives of the island's 380,000 citizens, creating jobs and shoring up national finances for preparation for adopting the euro the top priorities.