Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today that the deal the government struck with China on energy will not be the only strategic accord between the two countries, implying that other deals with China are to follow.

Dr Muscat was being interviewed by Robert Musumeci during a political activity tied to the upcoming MEP elections at Mellieha.

He said that an Italian energy company sold a good portion of its firm to Shanghai Electric, which is associated with Shanghai Electric Power, with whom this government struck a deal.

He said that this government did not wait for the legislature to near its end to implement its pledges but did so from the very beginning.

Dr Muscat pointed out that what was dubbed as ‘Alice in Wonderland’, referring to the PL’s energy tariff reduction project, was in fact a promise that was fulfilled.

Turning to heavy fuel oil which powers the Delimara plant, Dr Muscat said that the use of heavy fuel oil would be stopped.

Dr Muscat once again assured Enemalta employees that their jobs will be safeguarded and they will not have to work overseas if they do not want to.

He said that this government does not intend doing what the previous administration had done, portraying a rosy picture at all times, despite official statistics which show this government is performing.

“Our strategy is to create jobs but also ensuring that people have more spending power,” he said, highlighting that this government implemented the free childcare scheme and reduced the energy tariffs.

Dr Muscat assured that the energy tariffs will not be reduced only simply because an election is around the corner but the tariffs will remain as cheap as they are in the long term.

Environment Minister Leo Brincat claimed to have been approached by a Nationalist who stated that this government gave the electorate security, stability and peace of mind.

Mr Brincat said that opposed to PN leader Simon Busuttil, who has engaged in a negative campaign, Dr Muscat was injecting positive energy, adding that this is what the difference is between the two political party leaders.

Referring to a report in The Malta Independent, which quoted Dr Busuttil saying that he is coming out of his shell, Mr Brincat said that Dr Busuttil can go ahead coming out of his shell but what is important is that the people come out of their homes to vote.

Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said that there has never been a government which implemented so many of its electoral pledges so soon.

Turning to road works, he said that people were left in the dark on projects that were to be implemented, and on the final costs of a project.

“This government has a different approach: that of knowing what the final costs will be related to a project and its deadline,” he said.

Mr Mizzi said that it was no secret that this government inherited a public transport system which was a mess.

MEP hopeful and former Civil Protection Department head Peter Cordina said that he was approached by a number of uniformed services personnel who said that they are highly satisfied that the government has implemented its pledge tied to uniformed services unions which gives them the opportunity to take up membership with a union of their choice.

He said that they were not expecting that this pledge would be implemented so soon.

Mr Cordina said that she was hurt to see a clip advertised on One TV which shows former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi stating during the last election campaign that under a Labour government one feels ashamed to be Maltese.