Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said Sunday that he, as leader of the party, has an obligation to meet everyone, without excluding anyone, when he was asked if the PN met and received donations by controversial Villa Rosa developer Anton Camilleri.

Grech was interviewed by three independent journalists at the opening of the PN’s General Council, on the eve before his Budget replica speech on Monday evening.

Asked if he has met and received donations – which could have come with certain conditions – from Camilleri or his companies, Grech said that his responsibility as PN leader is to meet everyone, without discrimination, and without excluding anyone who wants to discuss with the party.

“It is not fair to identify that person or the other. I have the responsibility to meet everyone, and those who try hide the fact that they met someone would be failing,” Grech said, adding that the party had many non-public meetings.

Grech said that the point is what was said, and he said that he will not let anyone condition him.

He clarified he received no donations from anyone, and said that whenever someone passes him an envelope with a donation, he gives it to his staff unopened so that a receipt can be generated.

Grech said it is not acceptable to “demonise” people over giving donations, but that same donation will not stop him from being critical and vociferous on any matters involving the person who donated, and standing up for the public’s principles.

He blamed the Labour government for not introducing a law for the financing of parties, as it is satisfied receiving donations from developers.

Grech was asked how a PN government would change the existing local plans, to which he said this must be looked at maturely.

“Development has always been one of the most important points for our country to move forward, but any advancement or development must not be done at the expense of others,” Grech said.

He said government must not be one to please everyone, while at the same time, degrading others’ quality of life.

Grech said that the PN believes in balance and looking out for everyone’s rights, such as it did when government issued the legal notice for the Valletta noise problem.

He said that the 2006 local plans were created by the PN, and had settled a number of issues, while they might have created others.

“Government wants to change the local plans to accommodate one development (Villa Rosa) and this is unacceptable. We believe that local plans revisions must be done appropriately with the experts in the sector,” Grech said, adding that a PN government would conduct carrying capacity studies in localities, to ensure that development does not come at the expense of people’s lives and their wellbeing, and the environment.

While the latest surveys have showed that the Nationalist Party is getting nearer to the Labour Party in terms of votes, Grech was asked if the latest surveys indicating a lower trust rating in himself compared to Prime Minister Robert Abela worried him.

He said that four years ago, the Nationalist Party was substantially disadvantaged, reeling from a huge loss in 2017 and going through difficult times.

“The walk forward required a lot of work and sacrifice. The survey shows that both parties are head-to-head. Something positive I have done,” Grech said.

While he would be pleased if the trust rating was better, Grech maintained that he is the father of the PN’s family, and he will never do anything for him to move forward at the expense of his PN family.

Asked about the recent SME Barometer which showed that the greatest challenges among small businesses were staff shortages, unjust competition, traffic and overpopulation, and how he would address such issues, Grech also mentioned that the SME Barometer also said that 80% of SMEs in Malta believe the country is moving towards the wrong direction.

He mentioned the EY attractiveness survey, where foreign direct investors are losing their faith and attractiveness in Malta.

“In 11 years, this government did not invest in infrastructure. On traffic, it is no longer ‘rush hour,’ it is ‘rush day,’” Grech said, adding that government has provided no real solutions to such issues.

A PN government would keep building and improving new roads, but the widening of roads is not enough, Grech said. He said a PN government would incentivise people to remove their personal vehicles, and start reducing the number of cars in the roads.

Grech said that government’s Prime Minister is absent, and only solves things by “spending millions on presentations, such as that of the metro.” He said the PN has determination and willpower to make these decisions.

Asked if the PN has a new Secretary General, after the PN’s candidate for the role former PN MP Karl Gouder tragically died in August, Grech said that while the process had to be stopped temporarily, the PN will have a new Secretary General in the near future, replacing Michael Piccinino.

He paid tribute to Gouder’s memory, and said that the new person will have to fit in the direction and plans he had for the role.

Grech was asked about the party’s debt, which stood at €32 million in 2022, as well as the unpublished accounts the PN had yet to present.

He said that he had the courage to come out clearly with the party’s debt back then, while others continue hiding the truth.

Grech said that the debt has remained in relatively the same figures, but it did not worsen, nor did the party sell any bandclubs to better its position, but rather it is ensuring that each property is used in the most efficient way possible.

He continued that all documents of the party’s accounts have been passed to the Auditor, who wrote to the Electoral Commission that the process is now under the auditor’s control.

Grech was asked about the PN’s theme, Youthful Malta, and what he will do to keep youths in Malta from leaving the country.

He said that the Nationalist Party will not tie anyone to stay in Malta, as in the past, it was the one who advocated for entry into the EU.

“Back then, youths took the opportunities to go abroad in the EU as they were free to. Today, youths have no choice, they feel suffocated with the construction, air pollution, drainage into the sea, high property prices,” Grech said.

He said the country needs one clear direction forward, to assure all sectors of the population who are not seeing a future in the country, that they will have a future with the PN.

Asked about abortion, and whether he would accept candidates who openly say they are in favour of abortion, Grech first said there needs to be a mature discussion on the matter, and not one where people attack each other over the different positions.

He said he has the right to adopt a position in favour of life, and in the party, there are many who share this thought, and others who think slightly differently – ultimately agreeing on the principle of defending life, which is sanctified in the PN’s statute.

“What interests me if seeing how we will save more lives, help more women in their difficulties, and ensure that all rights are seen,” Grech said.

He continued that people know where they are with the PN, whilst others try to introduce an abortion law as a non-abortion law, and then had to do a complete U-turn when the public realised.

Asked about Monday’s MEP grilling for Glenn Micallef as European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Grech said that the PN and its MEPs have shown support for Micallef, and wish him well in representing Malta.

He said, however, the Labour government missed its opportunity in acquiring the role of EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean.

Asked about revising the economic model for a better Malta, Grech said that a PN government would incentivise investment in other sectors than just the importation of foreign workers, and increase the country’s standards.

He said that there is the need for gradual change with a plan and direction, which he will discuss in Monday’s replica on the Budget speech.

Asked if he would close the established Cannabis Associations, Grech said that the public has understood the negatives of this law, and while he would not close them down, the PN would change and revise the law, so that everyone respects all rights of all citizens.

Grech quipped that under a PN government, he would remove government's announced NI measure where one has to now pay 42 years of National Insurance contributions to be eligible for a full pension if one is born after 1976, instead of the previous 41.

He said that the Labour government "lies" and says one thing, which means another.

He was asked about poverty, and an increase in people having to resort to soup kitchens for free meals, to which he said that previous Budgets had promised to be the “most social,” however, people ask themselves whether they are in a better or worse position since previous Budgets.

Grech said that the reductions in income tax were not very adventurous, and the expenses paid by people for expensive medicine and surgeries because the public sector is not efficient has been pushing people towards the direction of poverty.

Grech concluded that on Monday, he will be showing the road forward for decisions for a more Youthful Malta.