Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil today said that the coming election is not one based on the proposals made, but on principles.

Addressing the first PN mass meeting in Balzan, Dr Busuttil said that while proposals are important, what is even more important in the coming election is a choice between a government that is mired in corruption and a government, led by the PN, which will give good governance and re-establish faith in the country's institutions.

Starting off his speech, Nationalist Party Leader Simon Busuttil reminded the welcoming crowd that the first week of these “extraordinary election campaign” has already passed. “Many people throughout this week have asked me why was a snap election called by a government who won by a large majority?” he said, adding, “I will tell you”.

“Fact!” he started, “the Prime Minister of this country is under a criminal investigation; instead of resigning, he called an election. Fact, he kept Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi, despite knowing about bank accounts which could have only meant corruption. Fact: Keith Schembri was caught in corruption from the Citizenship scheme.

Photos Baskal Mallia

Fact: The Police Commissioner has known about this for a year and done nothing.

Fact: the Attorney General has known everything for a year and done nothing.

Fact, more things were uncovered this morning yet they still keep hiding them till today, and these are the reasons for an election being called,” he said. “The Prime Minister has called an election to save his skin, now he is trying to get rid of his responsibilty by going for an election,” he said. “Can someone do something?!” he exclaimed, “you are being payed by our taxes!”, making reference to the insititutions who have stood silent in the wake of these serious accusations.

“We need to do something,” he said. “Everyone likes walking in a nice, luxurious house, they are it is what everyone wants,” but “in order for this house to be enjoyed, it needs to be built on firm foundations. This house is Malta,” said Dr Busuttil. “The foundations need to be firm in order to become castles, Joseph Muscat’s house was built on sand,” he said. “If a house is not built on firm foundations it will eventually collapse,” he continued. “What are we proposing to make this house strong and beautiful?” he asked. 

“Firstly, to clean Malta’s politics, so it won’t ever happen again,” Dr Busuttil continued. “Immediately, with a new Nationalist government, we will have a new Police Commissioner so that the police corps will respect him and provide justice and investigations to what needs investigating. “Secondly, we will go to the European Union and say we want to rebuild our reputation and a good name for our country,” he said, which was met by a loud applause. 

Repeating his pledges which he first announced a few days ago, Dr Busuttil told the crowd of other pledges by the Nationalist Government, including the promise of a “radical change” in the constitution so that the structure and organs of the country, “work autonomously and to be of service to the people rather than the Government or the Prime Minister.” He said that decision for who to appoint in positions of trust will be decided by a 2/3 vote in Parliament.

“I believe in a politics where everyone benefits, helping those who are more vulnerable, which helps every citizen, who feels that Malta is theirs. This is our vision, these are our proposals,” he said, “we are going to work to better the quality of life with more investments in educations, health, in sport facilities, infrastructure, in roads, in traffic, to sort out the traffic problem once and for all, in the environment which we live in,” he said, deeming the final point especially important. 

He said that more pledges will be announced from tomorrow.

“This is not an election on proposals, it's an election on principles,” he said, “no proposal can change principles, especially the principle of honesty, that is the most fundamental principle,” he said, “and this is a principle not everyone can promise, but honesty is something that we can promise!” 

He said that a Nationalist Party always kept the economy strong, saying that they were the ones who started the financial, gaming and maritime sector, amongst others. “As we built those, we are capable of building others,” he said. 

“We have nothing to fear,” he said, “the only thing we should fear is fear itself.”  Noting the Party’s loss in the past General Elections, Dr Busuttil said “we never give up, we are determined to arrive, we can rest on your support, your enthusiam, your energy, that is why we are determined to arrive and that is why we know we are going to arrive, because we have you behind us," he told the crowd.  S

peaking about Labour's Electorial campaign, he said that “we know we don’t have millions to spend on this campaign, billboard after billboard, one nicer than the other, but we have something nicer than money, we have something better, we have truth on our side, and we know that truth will definitely win."

Among those seen at the event is former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami.

He is on the same balcony with former minister Tonio Fenech, who last week decided not to contest the election to spend more time with the family.

Actress Pia Zammit was the first to speak at the mass meeting. “Why are we here today and not spending time with our families or in the countryside or studying? I am here because I am angry. I believe in honesty, principles and integrity. I am angry and I want to tell everyone. Can it be that integrity became so cheap?”, she said. “Lies annoy me,” she said in a dramatic speech to a crowd sporadically chanting ‘Pia, Pia’. 

“Our country has been sold,” she said, referring to the current Government. “They lied greatly, and their first lie was that they would have finished a new power station in two years, and they took double that. But they have been caught because of Panama Papers, and we started to notice how much they lied, and lies annoy me.“ At this point the crowd started chanting “Barra! barra!” (out!out!).  

“In the next four weeks, let’s talk and convince those who are not sure,” Ms Zammit concluded, “I choose integrity, I choose honesty,” she said.  

Lawyer Bernard Grech, who spoke after Pia Zammit, said that the Labour Party “are glorifying the wrong.”  

“We know this definitely, there is no doubt at all, that at least two important institutions in the country, that are supposed to be there to bring peace of mind, that should be treated in the same way as us, instead of choosing Malta and the country, are choosing to protect the Prime Minister and his corrupt clique.”

“This is institutionalised corruption,” he said. Instead of the police chasing the criminal, the police commissioner does nothing. “Thieves are friends of the dark,” he said,  “the Attorney General keeps doing nothing."

The MFSA shows that it is also doing nothing,” he continued, “instead, a bank is allowed to be open to accomodate those doing wrong.” “The criminal needs to leave,” he said, “criminals tries to remove traces of evidence,” “a criminal will laugh at you and say that he is serene and innocent,” he continued. “You should be proud that we are on the side of light and that we are lifting our heads up,” he said.