Surveys indicating that the Labour party will have an easy ride in the upcoming MEP elections do not count for a single vote, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Sunday, adding that those who were saying that the elections would be a piece of cake were only trying to confuse and instil a sense of complacency.
Speaking in Hamrun, Muscat said he laughed when he read a newspaper article saying that the PL could end up winning five seats at the European Parliament. “A serious analysis would show that with the way votes are inherited, the PL will likely win three seats again. This is not what some of us want to hear but I will say things as they are. We must remain focused on these elections and ensure that all those who support this movement go out to vote.”
The PM said these were important elections because the country was tasked with choosing the best people to represent it at a European level. While the EU might be more concerned with rules and regulations, the Labour Party is more interested in what people on the street are saying.
“What people certainly do not want is to have their representatives going to the EP to speak against our country purely for partisan reasons. What these people are doing is of great harm to the country,” he said, in reference to the Nationalist Party’s MEPs.
He referred to a statement, made last week by Greens MEP Sven Giegold, who said Article 7 should be invoked against Malta. This would mean that the country would lose its voting rights and funds.
“Essentially, this MEP made the same arguments that the PN MEPs have been making. But as soon as the MEP spoke, the PN issued a statement saying it disagreed with what he was saying. In effect, this means that the Opposition had acknowledged that its arguments, which were identical to the ones made by this MEP, were nothing but cheap propaganda,” Muscat said. “The Opposition does not even believe its own lies.”
In another dig at the PN, Muscat said that there was a more “focused” Opposition during this week’s edition of the Children’s Parliament than that offered by the Nationalist Party.
He referred to the PN motion to keep hamlet elections, with the party claiming that it had not been consulted about their removal. But in reality, the government had consulted with the Opposition several times, he said.
Muscat said the government has taken over responsibility for roads, leaving Local Councils with more funds. This means that the councils can focus on more important areas, such as cleanliness, waste management, community services and events. These are very important issues for residents, he said.
Turning to the economy, Muscat said there are two ways of raising money; increasing taxes or economic growth. Previous administrations would increase taxes and reduce investment but this administration did things differently.
“This government will keep creating jobs and reducing unemployment and dependency on social benefits. Our first challenge was creating jobs. The challenge now is to create higher quality employment with better salaries. All this is wishful thinking without further economic growth. Without it there cannot be sustainable social justice,” Muscat said.
The PM again insisted that there is no property bubble, arguing that the construction sector was growing in a “sustainable manner.”
He also spoke about the swearing-in of President George Vella, saying that the new President had immediately brought about a sense of national unity. He also thanked Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for bringing an unprecedented social dimension to the presidency.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg spoke about the ongoing road works, saying that the government was investing over €100 million a year on these projects.
While people were discussing the issue of foreign workers, he said, the truth is that the Maltese have become the leaders of such projects. “This means that we have created social mobility for the Maltese while creating jobs for foreigners.”
Borg spoke about the pledge to make public transport free for everyone and the changeover to electric vehicles.
He said the Gozo-Malta tunnel project would happen, but promised that the environment would be safeguarded. “Let’s discuss how to make the project better, not whether we should do it or not.”
He also said that the government will unveil its new fuel stations policy this month.
PN reaction
Reacting, the Nationalist party said the PM is not credible when he says that he cares about everyday issues. The socialist government has discarded all form of social commitment and is failing to address the difficulties being faced by Maltese families, it said.
This was confirmed by a recent survey that showed that 25% of households cannot keep up with rising prices. The PN said the government’s only strategy in view of its lack of vision is to bring in more foreign workers.