Opposition Leader Alex Borg said that the Labour government has abandoned Gozo's long-term development, treating it as second-class, and urged investment in Gozo's youth, health, and interconnectivity.

Addressing youths from several sectors in Nadur, Borg said that Gozo can no longer be left behind in education, health and job opportunities.

Borg said that he understood the challenges Gozitan youths face, from commuting to University to finding decent jobs, because he lived them himself.

"I felt the same realities you face," he said, urging fresh investment and fair opportunities for Gozo's future generations.

"I truly enjoy seeing so many young people getting involved in politics. In my time as spokesperson for Gozo, I learnt a lot and used my own experience as a youth to understand," Borg said.

Borg criticised the long delay in the expansion of the Gozo university campus, saying it had been "left to stagnate" without incentives for new courses.

"For years we've been hearing about expanding the Gozo campus. Instead, it has been left to its fate, and we're not incentivising quality courses there. We need to encourage and incentivise so that students can be able to study in the Gozo campus, for them not to have to cross to Malta daily," Borg said.

He noted that MCAST, originally a PN initiative, has most of its courses in Malta.

"We must once again incentivise more MCAST courses in Gozo," Borg said.

Interconnectivity remains one of Gozo's biggest obstacles, Borg said, but he views it as "an opportunity," if there were the political will to invest.

"A Nationalist Party government had introduced three new ships connecting the islands. The Labour government, on the other hand, bought a second-hand one, Nikolaus, which costs millions and doesn't provide the service Gozo deserves," Borg said.

He said that the PN would also work to expand the cargo fleet and tap into EU funds for a new ecological maritime system between Malta and Gozo, funds that he said "are being lost under this government."

Borg also criticised the poor state of Gozo's roads, saying they had deteriorated compared to Malta's, with the capital budget for Gozitan roads "cut by almost €5 million."

"Gozo must be seen as an economic engine within the Maltese islands," he said.

Turning to healthcare, Borg accused the government of failing to deliver on its decade-old promise of a new Gozo General Hospital.

"For ten years we've been promised a new hospital. We Gozitans work hard, and we won't let Labour toy with us any longer. A PN government will make Gozo's hospital a true priority, ensuring that even cancer patients can be treated in Gozo," Borg said.

Recalling his own father's experience, Borg said that his father used to cross to Malta every week for cancer treatment.

"We still do not have proper chemotherapy services in Gozo, that is unacceptable," he said.

He said that medicine shortages were still common, as every week he hears of new medicines being out of stock in Gozo. "People deserve quality medicine, not just generic ones," Borg said.

Borg also pledged that a PN government would incentivise young Maltese and Gozitans to join the health sector, including through higher stipends for nursing and caring students.

"If we truly believe in improving elderly care, we must invest in our people. We can start by raising the stipend to the national minimum wage to encourage more locals into the health sector," Borg said.

He also pointed to the long-delayed San Ġużepp Home as a symbol of neglect. "It took years for Gozitans to finally have a decent elderly home," he said.

"Gozo has been treated as second-class. Under a PN government, every locality would have homes for the elderly that offer the service our people deserve," Borg said.

On pensions, Borg recalled PN reforms ensuring equal pensions for all contributors, saying the party "will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the elderly."

Borg said that after tourism, agriculture remains Gozo's second-largest sector, and it must not be allowed to collapse.

"We need to support and incentivise our farmers and fishers. Agriculture and the environment are part of who we are," he said.

Borg said that the PN had tabled a motion to enshrine the right to a clean and sustainable environment in the Constitution, which PL MPs voted against last Thursday.

"This shows how much the PN values the environment. Unfortunately, the Labour government immediately began attacking the proposal and even instructed people to come out against us, a sign of panic," Borg said.

While the government launched its own green paper on the same day, Borg said this was "a clear case of dictating the national agenda" rather than working together.

"A PN government would make sure EU funds reach our farmers, not be used for political gain," he added.

Borg spoke of the PN's creation of a Shadow Minister for Neurodivergence and Child Protection, tasked with addressing issues like ADHD, autism, and dyslexia in children.

"These realities are increasing, and we must give these children and their families the resources to live dignified lives," he said.

"The PN has already shown leadership in healthcare by exposing fraudulent hospital contracts and focusing on preventive care. Health remains a top priority, we promise healthcare services of excellence," Borg said.

Asked about youth support for the Nationalist Party, Borg said recent surveys were "encouraging and energising."

"During Freshers' Week, I saw the enthusiasm of young people who approached us themselves. It was the first time a PN leader spent five hours on campus speaking to students," Borg said.

He noted that the latest surveys show the 16-35 age group are increasingly choosing the PN, calling it proof that "the PN has once again become the natural home of young people."

However, Borg said the party would not take that support for granted.

"This is just a snapshot of a moment. We must keep convincing those who today still choose not to vote. The Labour Party tries to instil fear, but we will continue knocking on doors and convincing people of the PN's people-centred politics," Borg said.

Concluding his address, Borg said the PN's message of renewal and fairness is resonating beyond Gozo.

"What we started in Gozo, we are now feeling across all Malta. It should fill us with courage, determination, and energy, because there is a bright future for Malta and Gozo under one party that works for both," Borg said.

Statement by the Malta Medicines Authority and the Superintendence of Public Health

Following reports of references made by Borg about Generic Medicines, the Malta Medicines Authority, in collaboration with the Superintendence of Public Health issued a statement following eeferences made by Borg about Generic Medicines,

"The Authority is making reference to statements issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with respect to Generic Medicines: 'A generic medicine is a medicine that is developed to be the same as a medicine that has already been authorised. A generic medicine contains the same active substances as the reference medicine and is used at the same dose to treat the same disease as the reference medicine.  The name of the medicine, its appearance such as colour and shape can be different from those of the reference medicine.  The active substance of a medicine is what gives it its therapeutic effect. Generic medicines are manufactured according to the same quality standards as all other medicines. Regulatory authorities perform periodic inspections of the manufacturing sites to ensure that Good Manufacturing Practices are in place for all medicines. Generic medicines must obtain a marketing authorisation before they can be marketed. Marketing authorisations are granted after a regulatory authority has conducted a scientific evaluation of medicine's efficacy (how it works as measured in clinical studies), safety and quality'," the statement read.  

It said that generic medicine delivers the same amount of active ingredient into the blood over the same period of time, ensuring that a generic medicine works in the body in the same way as the originator. "Generic medicines manufactured in Malta and those available to our patients follow the same EU regulations for quality, safety and efficacy as in all other European Union countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) supports the use of generic medicines as they are safe, good quality and efficacious and have potential to increase access to essential medicines. It is important that the general public is not alarmed by any statements which may wrongly infer any inferiority in the quality of generic medicines both those supplied by the Pharmacy-of-Your-Choice scheme and in the private market."