This government is a thief at the ready to abuse vulnerable people, PN Leader Bernard Grech said on Monday.

During a protest, attended by hundreds outside the parliament building in Valletta, Grech said that “it is time to make the fight in favour of democracy”.

The PN organised this protest after Times of Malta revealed that some 800 people were receiving benefits for which they were not entitled. Former MP Silvio Grixti has been implicated in the scandal, having allegedly provided documents for people to receive these benefits.

“I am not going to ignore the scandal, I am going to keep talking about it,” he said.

Grech also urged the Police commissioner Angelo Gafa “to come out” and do his job, as till now there was no deep investigation.

He said that the authorities are taking it against the “small fish” in this scheme, that is the people who benefited from the falsified documents to get finds they were not entitled to.

But Grech there are people in high positions who are behind the scheme who are being protected by the police.

As Prime Minister, Robert Abela is the man who is mostly responsible for this abuse, he said.

These benefits were being handed out in exchange of votes, Grech charged, indicating irregularities in the last election.

Grech said that the Labour government is afraid of losing its power and is doing its utmost to retain it.

“Its (the government) biggest scare is ending up as the opposition as without power they cannot continue commanding the institutions,” he said.

Grech said that it is not only the Opposition which is demanding action. Constituted bodies are also concerned about the state of affairs. This is yet another major scandal that his hit the government in the past months, Grech added, mentioning the court decision last February which rescinded the deal reached by the Labour government for the transfer of three public hospitals to the private sector.

What was revealed in the last days was another massive fraud, he said.

The PN leader also urged those involved to share their stories with the PN as “not only would we (the PN) speak on your behalf but also protect you”.

Apart from that he also appealed those who know any details to also share their concerns with the PN as “I am sure this is not the only scheme done like this”.