Instead of defending Malta, its reputation and its people, the Prime Minster chooses to defend Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Mosta, Delia referred to the Council of Europe's draft report on the rule of law in Malta, which spoke about "extreme weaknesses" in Malta's checks and balances a dysfunctional system which has resulted in individuals such as the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi, and Nexia BT's Brian Tonna seemingly enjoy impunity under the "personal protection" of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Delia said he was not the one saying this, all European countries were. "Despite the report, the government keeps persisting in its mistakes," he said.

"The report says that what is happening in Malta is neither normal nor democratic."

Instead of defending Malta's reputation, the PM keeps defending those around him. Instead of defending the country he defends those who tarnish its name, Delia charged.

"Those who call a spade a spade are not negative. The bad are those who persist in sinning."

Delia said the PN had come up with many proposals on cancer, diabetes, dyslexia and mental health, among others. "We do not sell our hospitals to unknown foreigners so that they can steal from our taxes but come to you with concrete proposals, adding that the government that had left Mount Carmel hospital in such a state that "it is not even fit for animals."

The PN, he said has also presented numerous proposals in the energy and environment sectors. "Malta has the worst air quality in Europe and the environent has never suffered as much as it did in the past six years."

"The government speaks of a surplus but average families are not seeing it. 4,000 small businesses have closed shop and the government does not care. The PN cares and has come up with proposals for them as well.

The PN, he said, has also presented proposals for fishermen and farmers, as well as for the sports sector. "We practically wrote their sports strategy for them, and they did not even have the decency of consulting us."

Concluding, Delia said he wanted a country where the wealth is shared by all workers, not just the few. "I want a stronger democracy, a cleaner environment, a health service that does not distinguish between rich and poor."