Prime Minister Robert Abela is not content with having the institutions seized, but he now also wants to snatch away the leadership of the Gharghur locality, Nationalist Party Leader Bernard Grech said as he spoke in Mellieha on Sunday.

Grech was referring to a situation which took place this week in Gharghur, where the Labour Party and independent councillors tabled a motion of no confidence in the leadership of PN Mayor Helen Gauci, which the PL said in a statement was taken in the best interest of the residents for the locality to be managed in full transparency. The PL added that the motion came about following several requests for information on "suspicious and potentially irregular expenditures" which remained unanswered.

The Opposition Leader remarked that Prime Minister Abela wants to seize leadership of Gharghur's council by "discarding the most important basic principle of democracy". He continued that the PN received a majority of over 51% in Gharghur, and yet Abela wants to have a council led by a PL Mayor. Grech commented that Abela no longer wants to pay attention to democratic principles and so wants to remove a mayor who was elected with the votes of local residents.

Grech commented that this is what is done by one who is insecure and does not care about the will of the people. He added that the PN will side with the Gharghur residents and do all it can so that their wishes are respected.

The PN Leader spoke of the situation which occurred concerning the Siggiewi Local Council in the lead-up to the last local council elections in 2024. He said that the PN went to the Courts and was proven right, and remarked that in the case of Gharghur's Local Council, the PN will also do all it can to uphold the results of the election. Grech said that Abela should not play with democracy nor ignore the will of the majority in Gharghur.

Grech spoke about the PN's proposed measure to remove the tax on the first €10,000 earned from part-time and overtime work. He said that many people have spoken positively to the PN about the measure. He continued that the PN came about the idea for the measure following consultation with stakeholders, workers, employers, and experts.

He said that this measure will make a difference in the lives of workers who wish to be able to increase their income, and added that business owners have also reacted positively to the measure as they understand that workers would be more flexible and may want more opportunities to work more hours as a result.

As the event was taking place on Mother's Day, Grech also spoke of the occasion and urged people who are able to do so to speak with their mothers if they have not done so in some time. "Do not lose that opportunity," he remarked.

He added that in regard to the PN's aforementioned measure, mothers and fathers will have the opportunity to spend more time with their children as a result as they may not need to work as many hours with the removal of the tax.

Grech stated that the PN wants to give greater opportunities to those who want to invest and employ, as well as to employees. "We want employers to be able to better train their workers so that they are more flexible in their work," he commented. He spoke of measures such as work-life balance, no tax on the Cost of Living Adjustment, as well as assistance to importers and exporters.

The PN Leader concluded by saying that for the labour government, the end justifies the means, and added that under a nationalist government, one would move forward through their efforts on a level playing field.