Opposition Leader Bernard Grech made his last appeal for a vote against the government's controversial magisterial inquiry reform bill, ahead of the vote which will take place in Parliament Wednesday evening.

The PN has already declared that it will be voting against the bill, which will make it harder for individuals to initiate proceedings leading to a magisterial inquiry.

On Wednesday evening, Parliament will be voting on a number of bills, the main one being the government's magisterial inquiry reform bill, which has passed through the legislative process at record speed.

Under the reformed system, a person would have to file a police report, and only after six months have lapsed can the person seek recourse at the Criminal Court, decided by a Judge, instead of simply going to a Magistrate to open a magisterial inquiry. Citizens could be asked to pay for expenses if their demands are deemed frivolous, and evidence they submit to kick of proceedings must be acceptable in a court of law. All this makes it difficult, if not impossible, for magisterial inquiries to be initiated.

On Wednesday morning, Grech described the government as "weak, scared, and worried," and has found itself in a corner, where it is dismantling any tool which may keep it accountable.

"One of a series of actions that this government has done to try to protect itself in the past years," Grech said.

He said that when the media, journalists and Daphne Caruana Galizia were pointing out government's shortcomings, that it was opening secret accounts to "steal taxpayer money," the question government posed back then was, "where is the proof?"

"The evidence came after investigations and magisterial inquiries were opened, not by the police. Our strong Courts declared the hospitals' deal as fraudulent, even leading to criminal charges against top officials within the Labour government," Grech said.

He continued that when everything seemed to have collapsed, government found its back against the wall, and decided to remove the right for citizens to open a magisterial inquiry.

Grech said that the PN has always been in favour of the right of the citizen to request an investigation, especially in a situation where the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General had admitted that they had not conducted a separate investigation on the Vitals deal.

On the three hospitals' deal, Grech said that Abela had known there was fraud, and what advice he had given to Cabinet and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat back then, and that is why Abela is afraid, and is proceeding with this bill.

"Tonight, we will once again vote against this reform. My last appeal to Abela - even though he is bought, and to all other MPs is to choose the side of the people, that of the truth, or else choose the side of corruption," Grech said, urging all MPs to vote against the reform.

He continued that if government votes in favour of these changes, it will be voting to continue hiding the truth.

Grech said that a new PN government will re-introduce this right for citizens as soon as possible, and strengthen it, while keeping the positive aspects such as increased victim protection.

He mentioned another vote Parliament will be taking this evening, the vote on the motion of censure against PN MP Karol Aquilina and support for the work of Mr Speaker.

"A vote by which government will be censoring the PN, shutting our mouths up. I agree that more appropriate discourse should be used in Parliament, but that comes from both sides. Abela called one of ours a "clown," and challenged him to a fight," Grech said.

Grech said that government will not succeed in censoring the PN, not in Parliament, and not by any other legitimate means.

"This party will not bow down," Grech said, adding that it is incredulous that government has gone to Parliament to censor the Opposition.

Grech said that the PN will continue to be strengthened to be effective against a government who wants to "break everyone."

He continued that the magisterial inquiry reform is not even legitimate, as it was not part of the government's electoral programme.

"Not only is this a regressive law which reduces peoples' rights, but government did not even say it would implement it. Even if it had, this is a sacred right for each citizen, and in three months, government decided to take from the people, not give," Grech said.

He said that Abela is insecure because he dislikes criticism against him, and continues to hide from the truth.

"An anti-democratic government which is there to break those who does not agree with it," Grech said.