Labour Party leader Robert Abela cancelled his participation in a television debate, his Nationalist Party counterpart Alex Borg told supporters at a political event on Monday evening.
Borg said that he had been approached for a debate with Abela by MaltaToday owner Saviour Balzan, which was to take place on the television programme XTRA.
Advertising in the media suggested that the programme was set to air on Thursday night, and it would have been the first election debate between the two leaders.
“We had another no-show, because the Prime Minister cancelled the debate. That’s how prepared he is. Robert Abela maybe is a no-show, but I will show – when they want, we can debate,” Borg said.
Borg also criticised the Prime Minister over the election timing and his justification for it, noting that Abela had used the international situation as his primary reason for calling the election.
Yet his actions, he said, show otherwise. Borg said that there was a summit at the European Parliament for Heads of State.
“All European leaders met: they met to discuss Ukraine, Iran, and the general international situation. Do you know who the only EU Head of State who wasn’t present was? The Prime Minister of Malta,” he said.
“That’s how much he is affected by the international crisis – that he didn’t even bother to go meet heads of state about it,” he added.
The only person there to safeguard Malta’s interests, he said, was European Parliament President and PN MEP Roberta Metsola.
He said that the PL is doing everything it can to stay in power, including using all State resources possible.
“We have a party which is not capable of distinguishing between the PL and the government; of distinguishing between Castille and Mile End,” he said.
“This electoral campaign immediately showed us the state of panic they are in: They are giving out money like pastizzi from morning to night. It’s good to help people; but you don’t help people a few weeks before the election, but across all five years. You will not buy the people out,” Borg said.
PN will slash electricity bills in its first Budget in power
Borg opened the event by describing the party’s keynote energy measure as a strong one which will reduce bills for families, people living alone, farmers, and NGOs.
The measure, he said, would see people’s electricity bills be reduced by an average of 30%, and the electricity bills for farmers and shepherds decrease by an average of 15%.
“It was a measure which others have tried to discredit – no problem; I am determined that if we are in government, we will implement this measure in our first Budget and from 1 January 2027 you will enjoy lower bills,” Borg said.
“Others say that we were not prepared – I can tell you that every day we are going to show you how prepared we are. We have so many proposals still to come,” he said.
“We aren’t going to give you stunts and propaganda, or throw money at problems. We are going to solve these problems once and for all,” he added.