PN Leader Simon Busuttil today insisted that he would not sign the Enemalta gas power agreement on behalf of the Maltese people, because the contract did not make any sense. Speaking during a PN activity in Swieqi, Dr Busuttil said that the government was committing itself to buy energy from a private company for the next 18 years, but the prices would only remain fixed for the first five years. “I would not sign the contract in your name, like Konrad Mizzi is going to do,” Dr Busuttil said.
The PN Leader said that there is much more to say on the subject, and the PN would be requesting all the details. If it does not benefit the people, the PN will not accept the agreement.
Wrong to boast about doing your duty
Dr Busuttil also referred to the ongoing migration phenomenon, and said that Malta’s first consideration should be to save lives. “We should be proud to have saved so many lives. But we should treat this case with dignity and not boast about it on TV. We only did what was expected of us. We did our duty.”
Dr Busuttil said that the PN’s message for the day was on reflection on human life, and on our duty towards others.
Increase in taxes
Speaking on the increase in indirect taxes announced by the government last week, Dr Busuttil said that the implications were serious and numerous. He accused the government of trying to hide the facts. “The PM and his ministers usually adore the cameras. But in this case they only issued a cryptic press release. They did not want to look bad. We were the ones who told the people about this.”
Dr Busuttil said that the government will cut €21 million from this year’s budget, but will spend €100 million more than the previous government on a 23 member cabinet.
“The government does not want to say where the cost cutting will be made. Is this why medicines are out of stock?” He said that the government was being miserly with the people but was paying Konrad Mizzi’s wife €13,000 per month.
Dr Busuttil again insisted that it was wrong to compare Ms Mizzi’s appointment with his appointment as head of the MiC before Malta’s EU accession. “I am not a minister’s husband. I am proud of the small role I had in helping our country join the EU. But I don’t know how proud Joseph Muscat is of his role to keep Malta out.”
Gozo Channel Saga
The PN Leader again insisted that the Anton Refalo/Gozo Channel case is not closed, as the Prime Minister had declared. “We will still speak on the matter, even if they accuse us of breach of privilege.”
Dr Busuttil referred to the government’s decision to appoint Shiv Nair, who is blacklisted by the World Bank, as a consultant. He hoped that the due diligence carried out in the citizenships for sale scheme, would be much more rigorous than the background checks Muscat had carried out on Mr Nair.
The PN Leader insisted that the Prime Minister cannot keep comparing itself to the previous administration that he had criticized so much. He insisted that the Opposition will collaborate with the government on issues which are in the best interest of the nation, but would not on support the government on issues that were wrong.