Robert Abela's Government continues to prioritise its own interests and those of its inner circle, rather than putting forward solutions to the country's challenges and standing up for the Maltese and Gozitan people, Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech said.
He was reacting to the introduction of tariffs announced by the American President - measures expected to have a direct impact on European consumers and businesses, including those in Malta.
Grech was commenting on the social media, a day after the Labour government voted in Parliament to strip citizens of their right to request Magistrates' Inquiries into corrupt politicians and stood alone in its attempt to censor the Opposition. These actions took place at the very moment the American President was announcing tariffs that will impact trade between Malta and the United States.
Grech noted that rather than going to Parliament to defend the interests of the Maltese people and assure them that every effort would be made to prevent these tariffs from raising prices locally, Abela and his Government chose instead to silence the Opposition and restrict the people's rights.
Much like what happened with the PN's Motion on the cost of living, which aimed to provide real solutions to the hardships facing Maltese families, the Abela Government is once again avoiding the real issues. Even in the case of the new tariffs announced by Donald Trump, which could impact the EU's economy, the Government continues to evade its responsibility to act in defence of the Maltese people.
Instead, Robert Abela's Government is focused on attacking the Partit Nazzjonalista and censoring it, while stripping citizens of their rights, as was done yesterday through legislative changes to the Magisterial Inquiries Act, which have now been approved.
In contrast, the PN will continue to be your voice in Parliament, Grech stated. The PN will keep putting forward real solutions to the issues that affect you, just as it did with its proposals to address the rising cost of living. Proposals that the Government ignored, but which a future Nationalist Government, backed by the people's vote, will implement. A Nationalist Government will also restore the right of victims to request investigations.
Regarding the new tariffs imposed on the EU by the American President, Grech urged the government to take a strong stance in defence of Maltese consumers and industries. He concluded by saying that the Partit Nazzjonalista supports the position being adopted by the EU and other Member States allied with Malta in pushing for a unified and strong response, while also keeping open the possibility of negotiations to reach common solutions.
PL statement
In response the Labour Party said that people know that when faced by international challenges, they find a labour Government that supports them.
"Aside from the many problems that Bernard Grech inherited from his predecessors, who have absolute control over him, he also has a credibility problem."
A Labour Government, led by Prime Minister Robert Abela, faced the biggest international challenges, and yet his government has always been on the side of families and businesses., it said.
"Instead of shifting problems and challenges onto the people, as Nationalist Party administrations did, a Labour Government took the burdens upon itself, shifting them away from the people. Today's GonziPN 2, Bernard Grech's Nationalist Party, says that the energy subsidies must go and attack government initiatives that helped people through international inflation. It is disgraceful that the Leader of the Opposition is unable to rise above political partisanship and refrains from politicising current international challenges."
"When faced with international challenges, the people know that Labour always stood by them whilst Nationalist Party administrations lumped them with austerity measures that wreaked havoc on people's livelihoods," the PL said. "A Labour Government shall always be on the people's side, as it did at the last Budget when it gave the biggest tax cut in history."