Economy Minister, Chris Cardona, said tonight that he initially was tempted to counter what was being said about the country, but was told my Prime Minister Joseph Muscat "to calm down" and "speak about the positive", about the "Malta of tomorrow".
"He told me, 'their own people aren't paying attention to them, so you are going to?'"
Speaking at plenary session at the Labour Party Annual General Conference this evening, Cardona added "the more they lie about us, the more they will strengthen us. The more they try to put spokes in our wheels, the more we will focus our energy on what is best for the country," he said, adding that the PN was putting its own interests before those of the people.
Recently scathing allegations made by 'The Daphne Project', which has so far published emails showing links between 17 Black and the two offshore Panamanian companies owned by Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi; claimed that Economy Minister Chris Cardona he had been seen in a bar in Siggiewi with one of the three men accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia prior to his arrest; that Pilatus Bank was used to "move millions around Europe" by a network of over 50 companies and trusts "secretly owned by Azerbaijan's ruling elite; and that Nexia BT 'withheld' information from FIAU.
Earlier on this evening, 'The Daphne Project' released further allegations of Nexia BT playing a role in the Electrogas selction process with Nexia BT managing partner Brian Tonna, having sat on the Enemalta selection committee handling the project, and along with three other members from the same financial services firm.
Cardona referred to the vote in parliament this evening, stating that as the Labour Party remained united on the law of domestic violence and on the other hand the opposition leader voted against it and the former PN leader voted in favor. "How can these people, who cannot even lead their own party, run the country with the same wisdom as the Prime Minister" said Cardona.
In his speech Cardona referred to the PN's "negative campaigning" adding that the attacks will strengthen the government's work, for the good of Maltese and Gozitans.
"When you have a government record a surplus, with the highest employment rate ever seen in the history of this country, a strong economy that is breaking all expectations and is given a certificate after another from credit rating of foreign agencies and still you have the opposition Nationalist party putting their own personal interests and ultimately, their party before those of the country. Through their thirst for power, the Nationalists are causing irreparable damage to the reputation of Malta," said Cardona.
"Let's remember why we are in government. We are in the government to provide employees with dignity, to give dignity to the pensioner, to reduce poverty, to strengthen the economy, to create jobs and opportunities for our people and continue working towards equality. Therefore, our challenge is not only to continue to consolidate what has been done but to increase the political value visibly and to feel it, "concluded Cardona.