What counts is not what the government, the Opposition or the newspapers say but how people feel, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning, when asked about this week’s happenings in Strasbourg and the PN’s ‘negative’ role in it all.

The European Parliament debated the rule of law in Malta on Tuesday and on the following day it strongly approved a resolution that, among other things, calls on the Police Commissioner to investigate the Panama Papers revelations.

Speaking on One Radio, the PM spoke about the “silent majority” that observed the actions of politicians and then decided who it preferred to lead the country.

“This government has faced serious situations without using dividing tactics. Challenging moments define a government.”

Muscat insisted that what happened this week was a “wakeup call” for the Opposition. “People have already showed them in election after election, but the PN is once again being told that they eed to change their negative style.”

 The PM said the government would focus on attracting more business and jobs to Malta. “This week I was in Asia working to bring more business to Malta. We are doing this even if the IMF is telling us that we are on the right track and are among the best performers in Europe. More work means more jobs, better salaries. It means that we can afford certain things, like free childcare and other measure to attract more people to join the labour market.”

These measures, he said, had helped Malta edge closer to the European target of 60% participation rate.

With reference to the PN walkout on Wednesday, he said Opposition had a lot of lessons to learn.

“On the other hand we are showing the people that we have great energy and are taking many importance measures.” This included the new regulations for home workers, which were announce last week and came about party because of TMI stories about the situation with Playmobil home workers.  

“The situation had been ignored for years. These workers had never been regulated until now. These new regulations mean that employers can put their minds at rest that they are in line with the law while the home workers themselves now enjoy certain rights.”

Muscat also spoke about the amended media law, which has been drastically changed following negative feedback. “We can now say that we have a law that everyone agrees to.” 

 

PN reaction

Reacting, the Nationalist Party said the PM had failed to speak about the prevailing security situation.

It said residents of certain localities, including Marsa and St Paul’s Bay, were concerned about their security but Muscat had not even mentioned the subject.

The PM had also failed to say anything on the fact that homicides have become an ordinary occurrence, it said.

The PN said it would do everything it could to make Malta safe again. 

 

PL statement 

In a counter statement the PL blasted the PN for trying to politicize everything, including homicides.

 

It pointed out that 2012 had seen the highest number of murders. That year there were 10 cases and 12 victims. The PN was in government then.