All unpaid taxes and social security contributions which businesses have accumulated during the pandemic will be allowed to be paid over eight years under a nationalist government, PN leader Bernard Grech on Sunday.

He was addressing a political event in Hal Safi. Grech remarked how the PN wants everyone to succeed.

The PN also pledged that if elected, it would allow members of the disciplined forces who reach the end of their 25-years of service to continue to work in the corps, while keeping a salary and receiving their service pension.

"Instead of wasting funds on persons of trust or in giving jobs to friends, the PN wants to continue investing in the disciplinary forces as they are indispensable," he added.

Mentioning the increased cost of living, Grech said that even people who have very good pay had told him that they are feeling the pressure, even if less than others. He added that although the government said that the increased cost of living was a global issue, the PN had worked on a plan showing how it would be beneficial to set up a €40 million fund to help in the costs of the transportation of goods.

He also said that the €100 tax refund that the government will be giving is being taken from funds taken from the general public. He revealed how some people have accumulated up to €600 in extra taxes paid over a six-year period.

Grech took this opportunity to thank all investigative journalists, for uncovering scandals.

He added how Robert Abela has decided to contest in the fifth district, despite knowing well that he would be ''collecting the fruits' his other colleagues worked for.

In his speech, Grech reminded how certain events were allowed to take place during Covid, whilst feasts were not. He added that the whole community comes together during feasts, and these should be allowed to take place within the Covid-19 limitations. 

The opposition leader said that the government is more focused on avoiding more scandals rather than leading the country; on the contrary, the PN is in the political field to seek the best ways to do so.

Speaking during the political event was former opposition leader Adrian Delia, who said he felt privileged to speak at such an event after an absence of around 16 months.

"It is an honour for me to speak during this occasion, for a party which has done so much for our country," Delia said.

Regarding the Air Malta situation, where half of its staff will be transferred, Delia said that the government should not be treating such employees this way, as many of them have had to sacrifice their entire careers.

Another point he made was about the increased cost of living. He said that during times when the cost of living increases were justified, there were many unions protesting in the streets, something which is not happening now with an unjustified rise taking place.

In addressing the audience, he remarked how Vitals Global Healthcare was born in sin as, where it was supposed to be the winning party of an issued tender; it turned out to have been pre-planned. Delia expanded on how many of the contractual duties were not honoured, such as a new hospital in Gozo or the refurbishment of Karin Grech hospital.

Mentioning the Nationalist party, Delia said that although the Labour party is trying to persuade the audience that the PN is not united, his presence should prove that the first thing on the agenda is the country. before anything else. 

PN Secretary General Micheal Piccinino opened his speech by referring to the late Pietru Pawl Busuttil, where he said that he would forever remain a symbol of freedom for Malta.

"When you have a huge force against you, you should not be scared if you are on the side of  good," said Piccinino.

He expanded how the U-turns have become the norm for the Labour party as there were decisions that they erased, such as the Covid-19 restrictions coming to effect on 17 January. The PN had said they were discriminatory, and after only two weeks, the government has removed them, he added.

The same situation happened with the wage supplement where at the end of 2021, the PN said that for the economy to remain stable, it needed to be extended, where after a few days, the government said that it would do just that, he said.