Every election starts at 0-0 and that is a fact nobody can deny, Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Robert Abela said on Monday.

Answering questions by the Malta independent at a press conference, Abela said that although several surveys results compiled by media houses are showing the Labour party is expected to win the upcoming general election, at the end of the day the only result that counts is what happens on election day.

Abela said that is useless to talk about the positive outcome that could result from the implementation of the several Labour party proposals and projects if “people do not express their trust and seal of approval for those proposals on 26 March”.

He said that he does not want people not to vote just because they think others’ votes will be enough to elect the PL to government, as with every election there “is no guaranteed result”.

“I believe that the Maltese nation cannot risk losing all the good done over the last years,” he said.

He added that in today’s context, the decision of not voting cannot be taken lightly as the election will not only determine the coming legislature but how Malta will deal with the current pressures, including the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic. It is crucial that Malta has a government that knows what it is doing, he said.

The Malta independent on Sunday reported that some party officials were unhappy with their party’s leadership of the country and will most certainly be opting not to vote. Asked about this, Abela said he was not aware that some PL officials had said they will not be voting.

Asked about whether a Labour government would make the same pledge given by the PN for no development to take place at Hondoq ir-Rummien and White rocks, Abela said that Hondoq ir-Rummien is a ‘no go area’. He added that he had already made this point clear with the Qala mayor during a meeting.

Speaking about White Rocks he said that if ever the procurement process were to come to an end and if development were to follow, there are certain criteria which need to be respected.  He said that development needs to stay within the committed development plans land, and virgin land must remain untouched. Apart from that he added the idea of more building in the area must be valued properly.