Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that he found the hypocrisy of certain Maltese people who value the life of the unborn, over the life of these migrants distasteful.
"There are those who beat their chests during Id-Duluri and cry out about abortion and the death of the unborn, whilst those people at sea are human lives too."
He said that certain NGOs wish to act saintly on abortion, but then do not see the full picture and those they must value all human life.
He said that as the leader of the party and country, there is not a day which goes by where he must take responsibility and decisions which have an impact on the Maltese and Gozotian population.
Speaking this morning at a politically rally in Mellieha , he said that the government must make decisions always based on the best interest for the country and not to twist the values of the country.
He reflected that he was faced with numerous decisions on the matter; either to allow these migrants in Malta or to close the harbour. "I do not want anyone to paint us as a nation without a heart, as if we do not want these people in our country. As Prime Minister, I was faced with many roads on what decision to take."
He said that the final deal will see the migrants dock in Malta, which from there they will be distributed to Germany, France, Portugal and Luxembourg.
"A decision based on common sense, after we have spoken in great detail with the European Commission and have come up with the best compromise for everyone."
Muscat turned his discussion to the topic of foreign workers and how he understands the fear and concern of Maltese population of the increasing number of foreigners coming to the island.
"People speaking up about their concerns towards migration should not be seen as racist or xenophobes, it is good to be concerned, but to take note and dismiss of the "extremist propaganda" that foreigners are a threat to the Maltese.
"We should not see that these foreigners are taking jobs from the Maltese, but that without investing in them, the Maltese would also suffer."
He said that anyone who is willing to work will find a job, but it is important to invest in foreign workers to fill in the gaps that the Maltese do not.
Muscat reflected that the country believes in the Labour Party because it is true to its word and keeps its promises. "The Nationalists had promised to reduce income tax, but their plans just remain on paper. Throughout every budget the Labour Party has decreased income tax and provide reforms which benefit the citizens."
Regarding the proposed Gozo tunnel, Muscat said that the proposals were first brought up by the PN Government led by Lawrence Gonzi, and their own manifestos had proposals for the Gozo tunnel. "The Labour Party had studied to determine whether a tunnel was feasible, and after doing so we included the proposal of the tunnel in our 2017 manifesto."
He said that this was why he could not understand the Opposition's disagreement on the proposals of the tunnel, when it was their own party which began the discussion itself.
"It is no longer a question about the tunnel, but about what you promise on your manifesto and how serious you take politics. We focus on what we promise and our credibility to push and make what we promise a reality for Malta."
He questioned how the Opposition could be trusted when they cannot agree on a clear issue which is written in black and white on their own manifesto.
He said that the Labour government is united and instil trust and confidence in the people. "I want Malta to continue pushing forward to become more successful, and not to be drowned by fear and nostalgia."
He stressed that the party celebrates the people, the people who without their input the country would not be what it is today.