Opposition leader Alex Borg has said that the Nationalist Party is ready for a general election whenever the Prime Minister chooses to announce it - be it early or not.

During a PN political activity on Sunday, Borg said that whether Prime Minister Robert Abela calls the general election next week or next year, his Nationalist Party will go into the campaign with the intention of winning it.

"I am not here to reduce the gap - that is not enough," he said.

While giving these comments, Borg clarified that he and his party so far have no clear idea when the general election will be. The date of the next general election in Malta can only be decided by the serving Prime Minister; nothing is official till this announcement is formally made.

Borg said that he recognised the possibility of an early election being called over last summer, during his PN leadership campaign. He told party media on Sunday that he entered the party's leadership race with the mindset that Prime Minister Abela may announce an early general election in the months afterwards. At the time of writing, the date of the next general election remains unknown, though speculation that one is on the horizon is as ripe as ever.

When asked whether the PN is ready for an election, Borg answered that the party has been discussing preparations internally because of this mindset. He commented that this first began with ironing out the party's finances, before then asking all PN MPs on their intention to recontest, before then going out to recruit new candidates under the PN ticket "who are ready to work for the whole country."

"Whether it's announced this week or next year, we are ready for Malta and Gozo to be stronger," Borg said.

The Opposition leader stated that the country needs a government that truly places all Maltese and Gozitans at heart.

In this regard, he said that PM Abela is toying with election speculation due to his own personal interest to retain his seat of power, rather than seeing "when the country needs [one]". Borg added that "[Abela] thinks that the Labour Party can cover up its internal crises through a general election."

'Why entertain an early election if everything is going well?'

While discussing the question on everyone's lips at the moment, Borg pondered that if everything in the country is going well, what sense does it make for the country to head towards an early election if not for personal or partisan interests?

"Why is he constantly entertaining election speculation if everything is coming up roses, with a year left in his mandate?" Borg questioned.

The Opposition leader remarked that with election speculation so high, Ministers have been promising the world as of late. Hence, he noted that "politics should not begin on the eve of an election."

With several recent calls for certain spaces to be made "national parks," Borg noted that there is no explicit definition for a "national park" in Maltese law, thus raising wonder on what these spaces that government has been proposing will look eventually look like. Here, he mentioned the gravelled-over picnic area in Ta' Qali that cost over €300,000 in public funds to carry out.

Borg said that several PL exponents have personally told him that they do not know where they stand with the Prime Minister on this subject. "One day he says he'll announce the general election the following day, then he wakes up the next morning and decides otherwise."

The PN leader said that the Prime Minister's contribution to creating this speculation is causing damaging effects to businesses around the Maltese islands. He noted that one AC technician who spoke to him has frozen all imports amid this political speculation and is only currently carrying out air conditioner repairs till this uncertainty persists.

Abela has consistently said that he will announce the general election when the national interest calls for it, though he has never outlined what instances qualify for this circumstance.

Borg doesn't believe that Abela will use the ongoing international crises "as an excuse" for Malta to go into a general election, especially with Malta being a politically neutral country. However, he said that if this does happen, it would mean that "[Abela] is scared of the PN's momentum."

"More people are leaving the Labour Party, more nationalists are returning to the PN fold, and more genuine labourites aren't recognising the principles behind the Labour Party - which is certainly no longer a socialist party," Borg said.

"The people are tired of empty promises, they want a government that cares for the whole population," he said.

PN pledges to keep energy bills stable, even if this means retaining energy subsidies

Alex Borg stated that if elected to govern, the Nationalist Party will ensure that energy bills remain low, as it doesn't want families to carry this financial burden, he said.

"If subsidies are what are keeping bills low, we will look to keep them - so that families, businesses, and workers don't carry this financial burden," Borg said.

While discussing the ramifications of present geopolitical crises on global energy prices, Borg also remarked that Malta must do more to promote renewable energy sources within its national energy mix. He said that doing so would provide the Maltese islands with greater independence.

He observed that Malta currently ranks as "one of the worst" countries in Europe when it comes to embracing renewable energy. He said that instead "when it comes to renewables, we should be one of the best in Europe," adding that we are not maximising our sun or seas.

Borg said that the incumbent administration lacks the political will to embrace renewable energy, noting that the Maltese islands still lack an offshore wind farm and another energy pipeline.

"I guarantee that in times of international crises, we will not fear what will happen with our energy supply because we will have our own to give us peace of mind," Borg pledged.

He also implied that with Malta's gas agreement set to conclude in the coming months, negotiations on Maltese gas prices for the years to come have not yet began.

Commenting that Prime Minister Abela is managing crisis-by-crisis, Borg remarked that he still hasn't been contacted for the pair to discuss who should be the country's next Auditor General - despite the constitutional deadline passing earlier this March, similarly to how Chief Justice selection talks have frozen since February.

The PN leader also promised that within his first 100 days as Prime Minister, if PN is elected in government come next election, works on the long-awaited mass transport project will commence. He also stated that within five years of this, the first mass transport line will be up and running.

'We don't want to leave anyone behind,' Borg wants PN to be 'natural home for youths'

Alex Borg wants the PN to be the "natural home for youths" in Malta and for it to be there to ensure that no person is left behind.

The PN leader told viewers that his party wants youths to remain in their homeland to work and raise their own families. To incentivise the latter, he pledged that for each newborn, a PN government would provide new parents with a sum of €5,000.

He added that the PN wants to introduce a new economic niche into the country "that Malta isn't yet considering." He remained tight-lipped on what exact industry this is.

"We have a new economic niche that Malta isn't yet considering...we are building everything around this industry we want to bring into the country. That is the PN, we want youth ambitions to stick here," Borg said.

He noted that PN's vision consists of creating several new economic niches, revitalise the Maltese economy for all, as well as help young couples live a better-quality life.

Speaking about housing, Borg commented that present property prices are too high for youths just emerging tertiary education to look to afford having their own roof over their head without renting. He said that future generations should have the right to become homeowners, and for this to not be a luxury.

He also said that "youths, including single persons, must have the opportunity to become homeowners" and that the PN has come up with numerous proposals to help those struggling to purchase property, rather than help those who are already benefitting from the housing market.

"We must prioritise those struggling to become homeowners, not developers," he said.