New Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech said this evening that he will seek to work to enable the country to return to normality.

In his acceptance speech minutes after being declared winner, Grech said that the party must now unite to work together, and welcomed the loyalty that his predecessor Adrian Delia expressed in conceding defeat.

"Tomorrow we will sit down together" and see how we could take the country forward, he said.

Today, he said, “it’s not me who won and Delia who lost. The only winner is the Nationalist Party”.

He said he wants to convince the more than 5,000 PN members who voted for Delia, saying that they should consider themselves also as part of the family.  

“I do not want to lose anyone,” he said.

He thanked all those who voted for him, including a member who voted last week and died in the past days without knowing the outcome of the election.

In a press conference later, Grech said that he will be discussing what role Delia will be taking and what protfolio he will be shadowing. He said he was pleased that Delia still felt part of the party, and also welcomed messages that he received from PN officials who he knew worked for Delia and who had also offered their loyalty, now that the election is over. The PN needs all MPs, all officials, all members to move forward.

Asked who of the MPs will be giving up his seat in parliament to the new leader, Grech said that a decision will be taken shortly.

The Labour Party had labelled his victory as one for the establishment, to which Grech replied that he does not take any advice from the PL. "What I tell them is that today the PN is stronger. I do not have all solutions, but I will listen to everyone and then decide," he said.

He said that the PN statute guaranteed both Robert Arrigo and David Agius their position as deputy leaders. It is up to them to decide what to do, he said, adding that he was ready to work with them. "I can work with everyone... to make the PN an alternative government," he said.

With regard to the PN's chances to win the general election, Grech said that he cannot foresee the future. He said that it would be wrong if the Labour Party decided to call an early election, given that the PN is still to settle down under his new leadership. "The economy does not need any more hurdles," he said. "My project is not for six months or two years, but I can guarantee that as from tomorrow we will start working hard."

Before he went to the PN headquarters to give his first speech as leader and later answer questions from journalists, Grech also addressed his hroup of collaborators and volunteers who worked with him during the campaign (photo above)

Photos: Michael Camilleri