Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has underlined his stance against the decriminalisation of abortion bill, saying that the Nationalist Party defends the value of life and that "without life, you have absolutely nothing".

Following the proposal the bill to decriminalise abortion by Independent MP Marlene Farrugia last Wednesday, Grech stated that the PN does not support the bill since it believes that life, from conception till death, should be safeguarded.

Grech, who was interviewed on party media on Sunday, was asked to elaborate on the PN's public statement on the matter. He responded that the PN is firm in its principles and will strive to continue protecting the lives of others.

He emphasised that by taking a stance against the bill, the PN does not wish to see women being incarcerated, as the law is not there to spite women but to act as a deterrent and discourage others from certain behaviour and actions, including abortion.

Grech said he is open to hearing about the challenges women face that lead them to seek abortions.

"I am content to hear what challenges women face that lead them to seek abortion", he said. "We are here to devise solutions which will help these women".

Measures have been taken to ensure that women's sexual health is safeguarded, Grech said, through the availability of morning after pills and contraceptives. He added that he wishes to make the morning after pill free of charge for all women above the age of 16 years, as well as cost-free contraceptives made available to youths from the age of 16 upwards.

Sexual health and people's sexuality should also be spoken about more frequently so that they do not retain a taboo status.

"We have values", Grech said, "but we will not close our ears to the difficulties of others".

Gozo

"We need opportunities for Gozitan youths in Gozo, as well as more places of work", Grech said.

He said that the liberty of Gozitans is chipped away by the fact that they may be working the same jobs with the same hours as Maltese people, while still receiving a lower pay. This acts as an unequal playing field for opportunities, he added.

Should he be elected as Prime Minister, Grech said he will strive to build an education hub in Gozo which will also cater to international students. In this way, students will have the opportunity to attend lessons in Gozo, rather than face the inconvenience of making their way to Malta.

Additionally, Gozitan workers should be given the opportunities to pursue their work in Gozo without having to travel to Malta, or else should have the option to work online should they need once the pandemic passes.

Grech said he is prepared to hold a referendum to discuss the Malta-Gozo tunnel and ensure that the decision to build the tunnel is not made behind closed doors.

"First there is research, then we will consult and then we will get the public's opinion", he said regarding the project.

Asked about built-up areas in Gozo, Grech said that he is not against development and infrastructure, however a definitive plan is needed before completing development in a certain area.

"We need a clear vision of what we want for certain localities and from Gozo as an island", he said.

On this point, he added that the PL is lacking this vision and is adopting a "free for all" mentality to infrastructure in Gozo.

"If Gozo is going to stay special, we need to take care of it through development that will do good rather than cause harm", he said.

One of the PN's priorities is for a public hospital to be available in Gozo which will provide optimum service to the general public and safeguard the health of those who reside on the island, Grech continued. Priority will also be given to investment in ambulances in Gozo.

Toni Bezzina 'frame-up'

It is no coincidence that Toni Bezzina 'was framed' after being interrogated by police, Grech continued.

Bezzina, who was questioned by the police over corruption claims dating back to 2012, was purposely framed in a strategy devised by the PL to prepare for the upcoming election, Grech continued.

"No one, not even Labour Party followers, doubt that the Labour Party is a corrupt government", Grech said.

This "Machiavellian" move against Bezzina is a means to detract attention away from the corruption that is emerging against members of the Labour Party, most notably Carmelo Abela, Grech added.

He said the Prime Minister Robert Abela has left everyone "dumbfounded" by remaining silent on the matter, and questioned why Abela has his hands tied and is holding back from unveiling the truth.

PBS

After a survey unveiled that there is a 39,000 vote gap between the PL and the PN, Grech said that the voice of the PN isn't being heard as strongly as the PL's voice largely due to the content that is shown on the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS).

Following the inauguration of the Marsa Flyover Project, the PN sent a declaration to the Broadcasting Authority to air on national television, however to this day, the declaration has not been aired, Grech said.

"This move contributes to the blind eye PBS is turning toward the PN and, additionally, the trust the PN is being given by the public," he said. He hopes that the Broadcasting Authority takes action against PBS for not publishing the declaration, "otherwise it will not be worthy to hold the title of an 'authority'," he concluded.