Prime Minister Robert Abela spoke about his vision for the future of the country during a speech at the PL General Council meeting on Friday evening.

"I arrived from the European Council meeting and I came here to present an ambitious plan for the country."

"But we cannot speak about the future without referring to what is happening around us," he said.

"When I saw the airstrikes on a maternity hospital in Mariupol, I was angry. It was a cowardly and evil attack. This is the message I gave to the EU leaders. The fight is against what is bad and our Mediterranean mission is to work for peace, for what is just. There are things that go beyond politics and what unites us as a people is stronger than what divides us."

The Maltese are a people who love and take care of each other, he said.

He said that when people say that politics doesn't make a difference, "we can show them the work we have done. We can show them how the plan we are proposing for the next five years offers a social soul, where we will work for a more just country based on the value of fairness. A value that we also want to show in the context of international politics."

He said that he believes in the values of love and solidarity.

He said that the plan being put before the people is one to improve the country. "A transparent plan, the fruit of months of work and intensive discussions."

Abela said that the manifesto is the fruit of a movement that never stopped changing and learning.

"We worked on this while we were leading a government through a crisis. We worked to save lives before anything else, and to keep jobs and people's livelihoods," he said, in reference to the pandemic.

 "This is the movement that doesn't stop thinking about how to improve the country for our children."

Abela said, that if the people place their trust in him, he will ensure that the manifesto is fully implemented. "We have the credibility and our track record speaks for itself. I give you my word."

He said that the plan shows an evolution of ideas and looks to the future. He described it as an ambitious plan, to create more opportunities, for a Malta that offers a better quality of life for everyone. "It is a blueprint for the leadership of the future."

The PL Leader said that they will build on the good of the past years. He spoke about the strides the country has made in the economy and on civil rights.

"We are exiting a pandemic and we have new pressures, new international challenges. The main one being how to keep energy, fuel and gas prices stable. Everything exploded upwards, he said.

"You know how we led the country during the most uncertain times, and this is the leadership the country needs again. Stable leadership that knows how to take solid decisions."

He said Malta became a start-up hub in recent years, providing jobs that youths benefit from. He added that the government will create new legislation regulating start-ups, providing them with incentives.

The PL Leader spoke about Malta's economic growth and low unemployment rate.

"We cannot take things for granted. For us, meeting expectations is not enough, we must exceed them."

Abela turned to the environment, and wanting the country to reach climate neutrality. He said that the manifesto shows a transition in priorities to beautify the country and make it greener. "We are speaking about what kind of country we want to leave for our children."

He spoke about the importance of taking care of the country's natural heritage. He spoke of the electrification of vehicles, and more efficient transport systems. From October, public transport will be free for everyone, he said.

The PL Leader spoke of education. He said that educators are among the best in Europe and gave them his word that they will be given the wages they deserve. "But did we do enough to ensure that today's workforce satisfies the jobs we have? Do we have enough students becoming scientists, software developers, engineers, technicians, mathematicians? Those are the careers we are creating. These are questions we must have an answer for."

He said that the economy and education are not buzzwords. "The opposition leader keeps speaking about economic sectors that already exist. I am speaking to you about how to better prepare our youths for the 100s of careers we are creating."

He said that the manifesto is a guarantee for children, "that I want every child to have the same opportunity to succeed."

He said that the PL will keep incentivising youths to remain in education. "This is a country of opportunities. I want our youths, the stars of Team Malta, to have equal opportunities."

"The Malta we are proposing is one where everyone is accepted, a Malta that is not afraid of diversity, that is not afraid of giving a chance to everyone."

"It is too important of an election for you not to vote. I have faith in our plan, in our leadership programme. I believe that if you want a more beautiful country you will choose this manifesto."

"Go out and vote as I have faith in your choice. Together we can create the future."