Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today assured that there is no reason for Malta to be alarmed over rumours that the country may end up a target for terrorism as a result of the unfolding events in Libya.

“Our security services have no information that this unfolding situation is posing a threat to Malta and that we are in danger,” he said, referring to terrorist organisations who have taken over Libya’s Derna and Sirte.

Interviewed by One journalist Leanne Bajada this morning, Dr Muscat said that the only solution is for the United Nations to intervene in Libya, “something I have always emphasised, since in Libya there needs to be an authority in charge of the state’s security.

“The problem withstanding though is not only about Libyans fighting each other – a situation we are conscious about and following closely - but that an external organisation is gradually taking over the country.”

Dr Muscat also said that there is another issue unfolding, that of migrant crossings as a result of the Libya situation.

“We have pushed the idea of a UN mandate for intervention with many European countries and it is vital people understand that the need to intervene in Libya is also about controlling migrant crossings.

“And it is in this context that Malta could intervene as we are a neutral country and our aim is to ensure peace is restored between Libyans first.”  

He reiterated that Maltese in Libya should leave at once and not be hard-headed and remain there.

“Each day which goes by makes it harder for us to pull our people out of there,” he warned.

He said that most migrants are not terrorists but people in despair due to the unfolding situations in their country.

“In summer, the situation will worsen if nothing is done. Europe has seen a record migrant crossings from Libya. Malta witnessed the least migrant crossings and this is a result of effective and coordinated efforts between Malta and Italy. But one cannot rule out that things won’t change overnight, therefore our biggest responsibility is to ensure that Libya does not collapse.”

Oil scandal

“Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil’s statement, defending the acts committed in the biggest scandal Malta ever witnessed – the oil scandal - is, to say the least, irresponsible,” Dr Muscat said.

Dr Busuttil had called the oil scandal an ‘excuse’ and a ‘smokescreen’.

“I have my responsibility to take decisions and I refuse to end up in a situation whereby politics is brought into the equation in an issue of this sort.

“This is about independent media revealing the biggest scandal in Malta’s history and Dr Busuttil attacks this information,” Dr Muscat said, adding that Dr Busuttil’s statement indirectly meant that people should hold on to any information they may have tied to some scandal or other.

While on the subject, Dr Muscat hit out at the fact that a PN government hadn’t found the time to introduce the Whistleblowers’ Act.

Economic growth results

Dr Muscat said that businesses know well enough that they can work with this government and this is the reason for Malta's continuous economic growth.

He was referring to the fact that Malta’s economic growth for the third quarter of 2014 grew by 0.2% - from 3.8% to 4%. Dr Muscat said our country’s registered results in terms of economic growth were the biggest in Europe.

Dr Muscat said that implementing projects does not happen overnight and it is all about long-term planning. But he said that decisions taken by a Labour government since it was elected to power in March 2013 are starting to bear fruit.

Explains increase in public service workers

Dr Muscat reiterated that the increase in public service workers is a result of jobs given to Learning Support Assistants, nurses and doctors.

“Should we not increase jobs in these important sectors?” he asked.

Muscat defends hedging, says it is a form of insurance

He said that this government will not go back to a situation whereby people wake up to drastic fuel price increases in the same way they did under former PN minister Austin Gatt’s watch.

“Therefore, this is why we have locked the fuel prices for three months at a time,” he said.

“In the last two weeks, we have decreased our fuel prices twice and the reason why Malta has witnessed a decrease in fuel prices is due to this government’s policies. Other European countries have witnessed an increase in fuel prices because they think the same as PN leader Simon Busuttil does.”  

Dr Muscat said that the hedging agreement is a form of insurance.

“What if, for instance, one fails to insure his car and crashes it; the same goes for hedging. Without some form of security, one can end up paying more to fill his or her car up in the event the price of oil increases internationally, as has happened in the last two weeks,” he said.

Greece bail-out

Dr Muscat said it is vital that Greece first gets enough funds and then pays up its debts. “This is all about flexibility; we are not saying that we will be waiving the loan Malta gave Greece either,” he assured.