The Labour Party on Wednesday evening said that the PN is “distanced and against” help for citizens to handle the cost of living and to implement just reforms.

The party was referring to the outcome of three votes in Parliament: one where the PN voted against a controversial magisterial inquiry reform bill, another where the party did not back a counter-motion that the PL put forward to a PN motion on the cost of living, and a third where the PN did not back a drug reform bill.

“Like it voted against social assistance and aid schemes in this year’s Budget, the PN and its MPs tonight continue to show how distanced they are from society’s needs as they voted against the government’s assistance on cost of living,” the PL said in a statement.

The party said that with its vote, the PN is not saying anything other than that it disagrees with the massive government investment in subsidies on energy prices and other measures “which left money in the pockets of Maltese and Gozitan citizens so that they can keep fighting the reality of cost of living.”

Among these there is the biggest tax cut in history, increases to pensions and the Children’s Allowance, the PL said.

The party noted that furthermore, the Opposition also voted against amendments to various laws related to drugs “which will primarily result in more effective justice for victims of drugs.”

“Despite this, thanks to the vote of Labour Party MPs this amendment passed the Third Reading stage and will now become part of a law where the harsh penalties for drug trafficking will remain up to a maximum of life in prison,” the PL said.

“Tonight, the Nationalist Opposition also again opposed a necessary reform in the magisterial inquiry process, designed so that this tool for justice is not used to crucify citizens but so that there can be just justice in every case,” the party added.

The party said that the government’s reform will introduce safeguards that protect citizen’s rights, provide more accountability both in the appointment and payment of experts and in information to victims and relatives amongst others.

It added that the reform is being done in the best interest of the administration of justice and protecting the citizen.

“But the PN does not want to consider these either.  The de-facto leader Karol Aquilina and his friend Jason Azzopardi have made it clear that they do not want these safeguards for citizens.  The reason is clear – as they are the ones who make use of this tool and the actual process,” the PL said.

“In the meantime, Bernard Grech lowers his head, does what they order him to do, and tonight had to host a press conference in order to justify all this,” the PL concluded.