The Labour government of the last thirteen years has done everything it can to damage the country’s moral fibre and reputation instead of leading it forward, Nationalist Party Leader Bernard Grech said during an interview on party media on Sunday.

He remarked that Malta deserves to be free of “the criminals who today are sitting in the government’s Cabinet”.

Speaking about the ongoing situation regarding Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and government entities falling under his portfolio, Grech said that concerns regarding the Minister’s performance are not just a question of faith, but an important question about being reassured.

He continued that Camilleri has an important portfolio relevant to the country’s security, and that people want to be reassured when it comes to the security of the country and its identification systems. “You want to be at ease knowing that when you need assistance from the police, they will be there to help you,” Grech commented.

The Opposition Leader remarked that there has not been a recent week which did not involve a scandal concerning the Home Affairs Minister. He continued that in other countries, it would not just result in the Minister’s resignation if just one false ID card was found, but there would also be serious investigations, “people would be arrested, and if need be a government falls”.

Grech remarked that the country has “reached the bottom”, and that the government does not have the want or moral strength to change things. He continued that those who are part of the confusion are not capable of changing things and improving. “They cannot resolve this situation… The country needs a new government which is not tainted with all this confusion and is able to change things… A government which has the political intention to resolve things.”

Speaking further about Camilleri, Grech said that the Home Affairs Minister has scandals happening “one after the other, and he has vanished”.

He questioned where Prime Minister Robert Abela has been in relation to this situation. “Where is he to order Camilleri to leave? Why is he afraid? Why are they afraid to publish the investigations which they say are being done? What are they trying to continually hide?” He also questioned why Identita’s internal investigation has not been published.

The PN leader remarked that the government focuses on secrecy, as “there has to be some way for them to hide their wrongdoings”.

He also questioned why Abela has not implemented a system which would allow people to check who is registered on their property, and spoke of people coming to him and detailing instances of finding foreigners registered on their address.

Grech detailed an instance of a Maltese couple telling him that a foreigner was registered on their Gozo address, and that this foreigner “apparently had the ability to vote”, though he said that they will be verifying this and have requested certain documents to be provided so that they are certain of the situation.

“In this country, we have a situation where everything is working in favour of a government which keeps confusing things so that it remains in government.” He commented that the government does these things so that “it can keep pigging out”.

The Opposition Leader said that the government wants to keep the parliament closed to stop the PN from enacting pressure. “The people need politicians that are there for them, not politicians out on holiday… We will continue enacting pressure both in and out of parliament, because now enough is enough. You have a need and a right to have a government which works for you.”

On the matter of Budget 2025, Grech said that it cannot be that the country has a government which is content with mediocrity and quantity.

“A government which does not care if you’re crushed, if there is trash in your locality, if you keep getting caught in traffic, if you go to hospital and do not get service despite risk to your health and perhaps your life, if there are Ministers and friends who steal millions from the people, if you have a situation where the country’s bays are contaminated with sewage which the Prime Minister knows his government is dumping into the sea.”

Grech said that the government is comfortable in mediocrity and with a country filled with scandals. He continued that the government needs to keep being pushed as people are realising that a new economic model which focuses on quality rather than quantity is needed. He added that it needs to be understood that the size of the country does not permit for a focus on quantity.

The PN Leader remarked that Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has said that the economic model is not sustainable, and so Grech said that he imagines the budget will adhere to such concerns.

“We have kept up our continuous dialogue with social partners, and we will continue emphasising a model of excellence. It is evident that the government tries to ignore us and then goes and implements what we are suggesting. We are insisting with the government to remove the tax on the Cost of Living Adjustment, everyone supports this including the General Workers’ Union. The Labour government does not want to implement such changes, and so a Nationalist government will instead.”

Earlier on Sunday, Michael Piccinino said that he will be stepping down from the post of PN General Secretary, a role which he has occupied for three years since being elected in 2021. Piccinino said that he intends to contest the general election.

Speaking about this, Grech said that ever since he became the PN Leader four years ago, he has made it clear that he believes the youth are not just the future, but the present as well. Continuing on that, he said that he had chosen Piccinino as the PN General Secretary at the first opportunity. Piccinino was 26-years-old at the time.

Grech said that he is proud of Piccinino as if he were his son, but that he is remorseful about the 29-year-old’s departure from his post, though the Opposition Leader said that he has no doubt that Piccinino will continue contributing to the country and the party. “His work has placed the Nationalist Party in a stronger position,” Grech remarked.

He said that the country needs to look forward, and invited people to meet with the party in Sliema on Tuesday as part of the independence festivals. “We are proud Nationalists, but above all we are Maltese who can and will take our beloved Malta forward together,” he concluded.