The government cannot concentrate on its day to day business, the real issues that are affecting people such as poverty and traffic, because it is knee-deep in corruption scandals, said opposition leader Simon Busuttil.
Speaking to radio 101 in a telephone interview, Dr Busuttil said that new developments have emerged, such as the fact that a Chinese person who was leading negotiations for the part-sale of Enemalta to Chinese company opened a company in the British Virgin Islands at the same time as the Prime Minister's right hand man Keith Schembri and no-portfolio minister Konrad Mizzi.
"It makes you suspect things straight away. The same financial consultant who operated for Schembri and Mizzi opened a company for the lead negotiator in the Enemalta deal. Until everything comes out, until political responsibility is shouldered, then yes, we will say we suspect corruption," he said.
Dr Busuttil continued: "They can say what they like, they can threaten what they like but we will continue because we have truth on our side."
He also said that his thoughts were with the media, who are under "unprecedented attack and I salute them for continuing to investigate".
He questioned what was happening to democracy in Malta. "The government has changed a motion of no confidence in Keith Schembri put forward by independent MP Marlene Farrugia. We all know what the numbers in parliament are, and we know what the outcome will be, but to not even discuss the matter in parliament? What is happening to our democracy?"
He said that when the PL was in opposition, it was a different matter. Richard Cachia Caruana, he said, was also appointed to a position of trust, but when the opposition put forward a motion of no confidence, it was discussed and allowed to follow procedure.
He said that the government is launching systematic attacks on anyone who does not agree with its way of doing things.
He also mentioned the electoral register issue, saying that people have been given the right to vote without even applying for it. He said the PN will remain vigilant and will watch everything that the government is doing.
He turned to a report on poverty by Caritas which was issued last week and said that the government cannot focus on day to day issues when it is knee-deep in corruption scandals. He said that the report focused on a basket of essential products and found that the same package was €1,000 more expensive that it was four years ago, under a PN government.
"Joseph Muscat said he will make poverty history. He has not. He has made poverty more prevalent. This government simply cannot concentrate on things. The PN will be meeting the people who drew up the report so we can better understand the dynamics and plan for the future," he said.
Turning to traffic, Dr Busuttil said the problem did not start under a PL government, but it has certainly gotten worse under "Joe Mizzi, the government's most incompetent minister."
He said that it is unacceptable for people to have to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for up to an hour for a short commute. He said that Malta needs both a long-term and short term traffic plan. The former, he said, will cost a lot of money and must truly be a long-term vision. However, the PN has put forward 35 proposals which are easily doable, to alleviate some of the pressure.
He concluded: "It is my mission to clean up politics. When the government cannot function properly because it is distracted by problems, it is the citizens that suffer. How can you concentrate on pensions, minimum wages and cancer sufferers who cannot get help through the national health system when you are hell-bent on filing libel suits and fire-fighting corruption scandals?"