Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia acknowledged that he is a favourite target of the Nationalist Party, but said that he will not be perturbed by their attacks.

“I know that I do know go down well with the PN. I guarantee the Maltese population that I will forge ahead with my ministerial work without fear,” Dr Mallia said in Parliament this evening.

The Minister said that contrary to his predecessor Carm Mifsud Bonnici, he has no problem with visiting the Kordin corrective facility.

“I have no qualms with visiting the Kordin prison, contrary to the previous minister. In five years he never went to the facility, and the results speak for themselves.”

“I found a terrible situation there, which had been going on for years,” Dr Mallia said in reference to the warders who were found to be playing truant.

He said that the Civil Protection Department had been forgotten by the previous administration, so much so that they were reduced to using second-hand equipment. He also said that the National Disaster Plan is being reviewed and updated.

He repeatedly implored PN MP Jason Azzopardi to “wake up and stop being so negative.”

On public broadcasting, Dr Mallia said that he found PBS in a disastrous state, but the necessary changes were now underway.

He announced that football fans will be able to view the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup for free.