“We are living through crisis after crisis, scandal after scandal,” Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech said during a political activity in Birkirkara on Sunday. “Every day we hear about new cases being exposed which are affecting us.”

Grech said that these scandals prolong the issue of insecurity and uncertainty. He continued that the PN does not want this uncertainty, and instead wants a plan for the long term as well as an immediate plan to deal with these issues. He said that the PN knows the direction it wants to take the country and how it can improve the lives of the Maltese and Gozitan people. “You deserve transparency, not lies.”

The Opposition leader said that history cannot be forgotten, as those who forget history are destined to relive it. “We lived through this ugly story six years ago when Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed,” he said, “When they attack us, when they try to silence us, they do so because they recognise that we are capable of hindering them when we are strong … They are only interested in causing harm to people and our country.”

He said that these last years, and particularly these last months, have been a time of turbulence within Malta. We have lived through long days in darkness, he said, and he criticised the Government for having a “policy of PRs” rather than a policy of planning or investment. “We lived in darkness because these people do not invest in our country, they are only interested in what they can take.”

Issues such as waste in the streets, lack of investment and care, are a result of a Government which says it will do one thing and then does the opposite, he said. “That is why the people are losing faith in the Labour Government.” He remarked that the PN is not just talking about the problem, but is offering solutions. He explained that in regards to cleanliness, the PN has said that there needs to be an increase in the frequency of waste pickup and management, something which he said the Government has illogically chosen to do the opposite of despite increasing the population.

Continuing on the topic of waste management and environmental issues, he said that a coordination system between local councils and apartment block administrators needs to be established. He continued that there needs to be a designation of hot spots where the identification and enforcement of environmental shortcomings is increased. “There have to be consequences for this sort of behaviour. The Labour Party wants to keep doing whatever it wants and keep up the state of anarchy, particularly in regard to justice.”

Speaking about the economy, he criticised certain people for “wanting to attack businesses” and said that the PN is instead defending these businesses. He said that many of these businesses are family-run and are the backbone of Malta’s economy.

Grech said that there needs to be solutions to the rising cost of living and that the people’s hardships need to be addressed. He said that the Government is not doing anything about this issue and is instead always finding excuses or blaming others such as when they “blamed entrepreneurs and family businesses.”

The PN, he said, does things differently. “We come up with solutions because want to put more money in your pockets.” He said that this policy is why the PN has continued to pressure that the increase of the Cost of Living Adjustment should not be taxed. He added that every social partner they have spoken with has said that there needs to be a new economic model. He said that the PN understands that employers will have more strain put on them as a result of the increasing COLA, which is why they assure these employers that they will give them tax credits in order to nullify the need to increase the cost of products or services.

Staying on an economic topic, he said that the PN is advocating for a national fund to be set up in order to support the import and export industry. “We have been saying this for nearly two and a half years whilst Robert Abela continues to run away because he does not want to help you address the cost of living.”

Grech said that the PN’s insistence on more and newer economic pillars is part of their vision for a better life in Malta. “Wages and pensions so that you can buy what you need without worrying that your finances will not sustain you until the end of the month.” He said that instead of doing this, the Government is only assisting a small group of people. He remarked that if you give them your vote, only then they will help you.

The Opposition Leader criticised Air Malta leadership “which goes in completely different directions depending on who is minister”. He said that hundreds of millions have been spent and they still failed the national airline.