Opposition leader Simon Busuttil today said the arguments used by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for cancelling next year’s local council elections could easily be stretched in order to scrap the next general election.

Dr Muscat has expressed himself in favour of cancelling the local council elections due to electoral fatigue and the costs involved.

In an interview on radio 101, Dr Busuttil countered the cost argument by pointing out that a referendum on spring hunting is going to be held next year, therefore the costs of holding an election are still going to be there.

He said if people are suffering from electoral fatigue, then they have the choice of staying at home. Taking away their right to vote is not the way to go, Dr Busuttil said.

“A right is there and should not be taken away. For a Prime Minister to just remove this right like it means nothing goes against the principle of democracy. Citizens have a right to vote.  Do not let Joseph Muscat take away your right to vote,” he said.

Dr Busuttil said the PN is vehemently against this, and he challenged the government to scrap the idea. 

The Opposition leader expressed his disappointment that the news of oil worker Martin Galea’s kidnapping was broken by a section of the media instead of by the government.  Dr Muscat only said he would “double” the efforts to locate Mr Galea once the news was broken.

After Mr Galea was put through such trauma, the government then went on to say that he was not abducted and abused, Dr Busuttil said.

Asked about the potential for a reshuffle of the Opposition’s shadow cabinet, Dr Busuttil said he will not be afraid to do so should the need arise. Dr Busuttil said his parliamentary group is united, something which was sorely lacking over the past five years of the previous administration.

The first candidates for the 2018 general election will be announced next month, he said.

Dr Busuttil said the government is not presenting the full picture when it comes to the economy. While welcoming economic growth and any decrease in unemployment, the Opposition leader said the government is artificially decreasing the unemployment figure by increasing jobs in the public sector.

“Is there not a more productive way through which to create jobs? A good government is one that creates jobs in the private sector. Creating more public sector jobs increases costs and the deficit,” he said.

He said average wages only increased by €100 over the past year, whereas under the PN they used to increase by more than €500. This is worrying as it puts pressure on people’s standard of living, Dr Busuttil said, as well as having a knock on effect on consumption.