Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg is in favour of Maltese persons living abroad being given the option to vote in elections through established embassies, he said on Tuesday.

While responding to questions from The Malta Independent, Borg said that the subject of whether Maltese people living abroad should continue being forced to return to Malta if they wish to fulfil their right to vote should be discussed at the start of the next legislature, after this month's general election.

At present, all Maltese living abroad must make their way back to the Maltese islands if they want to vote in the coming general election on 30 May.

Meanwhile, some foreign nationals living in Malta are able to exercise their democratic right to vote by simply visiting their respective embassy in the country, avoiding a significant hassle of booking flights and logistics.

He said that he believed that this possibility should especially be discussed with regard to Maltese living in other European Union countries.

"They have the right to vote, but connectivity is an obstacle," Borg said.

Borg also referenced how this practice is done by other countries all around the world.

Outgoing PN MPs left on their own accord but are still contributing, Borg says

The PN leader said that the nine PN MPs who have decided not to recontest this year's general election decided to leave on their own accord, though are still contributing to the Nationalist Party behind the scenes.

Following the closing of nominations, it has been confirmed that nine sitting PN MPs will not be contesting the general election at the end of this month.

These are Ivan J. Bartolo, Ryan Callus, Claudette Buttigieg, party Whip Robert Cutajar, Chris Said, Karol Aquilina, deputy speaker David Agius, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, and most recently, Mario De Marco.

Borg told journalists that "it would be a pity to lose their experience," and so these party members will just not remain at the frontline.

Similarly, he said that former PN representatives Franco Debono and Edwin Vassallo are also assisting the Nationalist Party to prepare for this general election, disclosing that Debono is helping the party formulate some proposals.

Borg said that while regeneration is important, it is also important not to throw away experience.

In a jab towards the Labour Party, the PN leader said that while all PN MPs decided to step away from politics themselves, "several stepped down from the other side, though with a bitter taste in their mouths, such as Clayton Bartolo and Roderick Galdes."

He added that under his leadership, no ex-Ministers would have been allowed to be blocked from running, as occurred within the Labour Party.

During this press conference, Borg also said that he will not let the PL "perform a witch hunt" on anyone, and that experts can expect him to safeguard them.

He added that, unlike the PL, he will not resort to attacking any experts, meanwhile, the Labour Party is presently criticising the involvement of Oliver Cini in its offshore Mediterranean maritime fuel hub proposal (by Hurd's Bank).

Borg also told journalists that while he signed a sworn declaration (an affidavit) to deny allegations that he met a fuel smuggler or anyone involved in criminal activity for this Hurd's Bank pledge, Prime Minister Robert Abela still hasn't named the person he met.

He added that PM Abela has a "constitutional obligation to disclose who the contrabandist is."