Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this evening said that the Opposition Leader knew beforehand what "lie" blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia would say on the Egrant case.
Speaking in Qawra, Dr Muscat said "this lie was spread in a planned manner, with the PN's coordination and with the Leader of the Opposition knowing what was happening and when things were going to take place".
Dr Muscat challenged the Opposition Leader to commit himself to resign if the allegations made about his wife - that she is the owner of a company opened in Panama - are approved false.
Dr Muscat referred to the TV Broadcasting Authority debate in which Marlene Farrugia took part, criticising her for losing her cool. He said that the recording should not have been stopped so that people would have seen Dr Farrugia in her true colours.
On other matters, the Prime Minister said the proposals put forward by the Leader of the Opposition are either miscalculated or have already been implemented by the current administration. Addressing a political activity in Qawra, Dr Muscat said that nowadays the public will laugh because of Busuttil's miscalculations, but if he is elected, the PN leader will make such mistakes with the public's money.
The public booed and Joseph Muscat found it fit to imitate Barack Obama's speech with a classic, "don't boo, vote!"
Dr Muscat said that if the public doesn't vote, the stability of the country will be in the hands of the most unstable couple in politics, in the hands of the coalition of confusion.
He reiterated the pledge to resign without any hesitation should the inquiry link him, even in the slightest manner, to the Egrant case, "even if the inquiry result comes out a day before election day." Dr Muscat then challenged Simon Busuttil, again, to resign if it is found that these allegations were based on lies.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that every day, the PL movement presents fresh proposals. "We do not come before you to vote for a mysterious closed box. We want your vote to be based on real, concrete proposals," he said.
He said PL proposals are costed and studied because these proposals will be paid by the public. "Some will pay for the proposals, others will benefit. But I have to be responsible and propose things which can be done," he said.
Dr Muscat said that the government wants to present proposals dedicated for persons with disability, to address the issue which occurs when an LSA is sick and cannot take care of one's child. "That is why we are proposing a system so that at every given moment, these children have an LSA with them, all the time."
He said these proposals were inspired by recent conversations he had with a young couple who gave birth to a child with severe disability. The first challenge they had to face was that they had to move home, from a house to a ground floor apartment. "Parents of persons with disability will be exempted from tax and treated as first time buyers," he said while adding that the government is indebted to persons with disability.
The Prime Minister said that the county is doing well, economically, and wants to make sure that this success is given to the public. He said most of the proposals being put forward by the PN are already being implemented by this government. He mentioned the benefit for those who cannot go out to work, "we agree so much, that he took it literally from our budget manifesto."
"Thanks Justyne Caruana and Franco Mercieca before her, we can now rest assured that every person with disability in Malta and Gozo can go and live in a community home for persons with disability."
Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana, who spoke before Dr Muscat, described Michelle Muscat as a determined woman who fills you up with courage and inspiration. Today is the birthday of Mrs Muscat and the public present in Qawra made sure to applaud her on this special day.
PS Caruana said that it was a Labour Government who got persons with disability out of hiding from basements. "I smile when I hear Simon Busuttil saying that Labour completely ignored the persons with disability," she said.
"You can ask all those parents of persons with disability, they will vouch for this government," she added as the crowd cheered. She said that Dr Busuttil mentions the opening of homes for persons with disability, while ignoring the fact that the government opened five of such homes and plans on building more.
Photo and Video by Paul Jones