Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil this evening addressed the last meeting of the PN 2017 election campaign, at the Floriana Granaries.

Dr Busuttil spoke in front of tens of thousands of supporters, many dressed in blue, with the crowd covering the Fosos and spilling into the side roads. 

Referencing the Independence Day meeting the Nationalist Party held at the Granaries, Dr Busuttil began by telling the crowd,“Who could imagine we would be here eight months later?” To resounding applause, Dr Busuttil said that the Forza Nazzjonali was a force of principles. “We value the principles of liberty, equal rights, freedom of expression, opportunity, justice, and democracy” The PN Leader said that the Labour Party, on the other hand, has tried to scare the nation, “not with facts, but with lies!” “To those who still believed in Malta Taghna Lkoll, I am here to tell you that, yes, it can become a reality with the Forza Nazzjonali.”

The FN’s manifesto, and the coalition’s ability to govern, has been criticised by the Labour Party throughout the campaign. However, Dr Busuttil assured the cheering crowd that the FN would put the country first “in both the good times and the bad.” The PN Leader pledged that the FN will grow the economic force of the country. “The economy will be strengthen and will grow, because it will be built on solid foundations!” “It will be an economy that will benefit the many, and not the few!” “It will be just, innovative, and transparent, that creates high quality jobs.”

Turning to civil liberties and the vision the coalition had for the country, Dr Busuttil said that the FN had a vision of “a just and equal society”, where the population could benefit from a better quality of life. “We have a vision were the country can lead by example and eliminate corruption once and for all!” ---- Uncertainty within the financial services and igaming sectors has been a common theme of the campaign, following the allegations of money-laundering and kickbacks plaguing the current administration. Dr Busuttil said that “above everything, we have a vision that on Monday we can start rebuilding the country’s reputation.” “We need to send a clear message that the country is ready to fight corruption, and show that they are proud to be Maltese.”

Surveys conducted by independent media houses, while consistently placing Joseph Muscat in the lead, have indicated that there is a substantial amount of undecided voters. In an appeal to the floating vote, the PN Leader said that Muscat’s government was desperate to buy the population’s vote, but told the thousands that “our soul is not for sale"

“Speak to your conscience, let your conscience decide, because it will tell you to vote for Malta."

There have also been concerns that the voting turnout is expected to be lower than usual, with young voters having grown disenfranchised with both political parties. Speaking to them directly, Dr Busuttil urged them to go out and vote “for their future, their opportunities.” He went on to launch a battle cry to urge his supporters to convince those who are still undecided.

“From my end, I promise that I will keep my word on everything I have told you, because my word is my bond!”

In a resounding conclusion, Dr Busuttil began quoting the National Anthem, and he called on the country to unify under "one nation, one family.”

“Let us come together as a force, the force of the people, the force of reason, the Forza Nazzjonali! Let us come together because righteousness always wins (is-sewwa jirbah zgur).”

“Let us come together for our country because we choose Malta!"

PN Deputy Leader Mario de Marco kicked off proceedings to the thousands by welcoming all those who attended the mass meeting, including Labour supporters.

“We have come to this historic place, were the country has always come together to fight for what is right.”

Referencing the famous 1987 PN election win, he told the crowd that the country had come together to “fight for justice, liberty, and work.”

He said that in four years in took Joseph Muscat to transform the Labour Party and weaken the country’s institutions.

“He weakened the movement that took him to government. He is leading a coalition of corruption.

“He wanted to make us the best in Europe, he made us the Panama of Europe.”

Dr de Marco called on the sea people to prove to the rest of the world that “we are an independent sovereign country.”

“This is not the country of Keith Schembri, Brian Tonna, Konrad Mizzi, and Joseph Muscat!"

The PN Deputy Leader said that the past four years stank of corruption, and it was only Simon Busuttil who could put the country back on the right track.

PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami then took to the stand, who said that this was an “extraordinary election” and that the country “had the opportunity to start a new chapter, to clean the country once and for all, to build the country on foundations of honesty and integrity."

"Let us come together on Saturday to pass on the message, that we have had Enough criminality, enough theft, enough corruption."

Referencing the allegations that were exposed by The Malta Independent and The Times of Malta, Dr Fenech Adami said the country had enough of hearing about the many commissions and kickbacks involved with Enemalta, the LNG Tanker, IIP, and VGH.

“Let us tell those who betray us, steal from us, forget us, that they have done enough damage to this country, and it is time to go.”

He said that the FN will build on the progress achieved. 

Heaping praise onto PN Leader Simon Busuttil, the deputy leader said that was a man on integrity and honesty.

Beppe Fenech Adami said Malta had already paid a high enough price because of the corruption of Joseph Muscat and his friends. “The time has come to say no more corruption, no more thieving.”

“Today we tell Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi: You have caused enough harm. Out!”

“I believe in a Malta where we keep the good and get rid of the bad. I believe in a Malta that holds the family dear. I believe in you, our youths. This is our hour. Our country is calling us, it needs us.” 

PD Leader Marlene Farrugia opened by thanking the crowd for choosing Malta.

“Four years ago I was part of party who wanted to change the country for the better, but when they got the power, they wanted to sell Malta Acapulco style.”

"I was in a government with a nine seat majority, which faced scandal after scandal."

In these situations, the PD Leader said, the country should look to its forefathers.

Quoting former PL Prime Minister Paul Boffa’s famous anti-corruption quote, Dr Farrugia said that the mass meeting was full of “soldiers for Malta.”

Dr Farrugia criticised the PM’s stance that it was his government who saved the economy, insisting that it was the hard working population who had managed to achieve this success.

“Four people betrayed the country and sold it. We have been left with a government that was socialist, but is now a government that cannot function without a coalition of corruption”

Turning to Dr Muscat’s criticism of the PN’s economy policy, Dr Farrugia said that the PN had managed to steer the country through the economic recession with minimal effect.

“The population knows who really suffers when a government is corrupt.”

Dr Farrugia claimed that she was bullied by the current administration because she was a woman.

“I am constantly attacked for speaking my mind, and this comes from the supposedly feminist Joseph Muscat.”

“Joseph Muscat is a clown and a liar!”

The PD Leader said she would protect hunters and trappers, the environment, and feasts. 

“On 3 June we will see the victory of Maltese traditions!”

Dr Farrugia closed by telling the crowd, that with Simon Busuttil, the country will be run by people who genuinely believe in the progress of the country. 

Photos: Baskal Mallia