Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg has pledged that the PN will serve as an “effective opposition” over the next five years, while outlining a series of reforms and party changes aimed at strengthening the party following the recent general election.

Speaking during an interview on NET Television, Borg described the opening of Parliament as “a very important day in the political life of our country”, marking the start of a new legislature.

“We had the opportunity to vote on the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and now we look forward to the next five years where we will be an effective opposition that keeps the government in check and critiques it in a constructive way,” he said.

Borg noted that the PN parliamentary group combines experienced MPs with a number of newly elected faces. He also highlighted the election of six women MPs for the PN through the gender corrective mechanism and stressed the importance of maintaining close contact with the public throughout the legislature. He added that house visits and engagement with residents should be a regular occurrence.

Borg also said that the PN's shadow cabinet will be formed over the coming days, with the opposition set to assign responsibilities to MPs as it prepares to scrutinise the government's work across all sectors.

The PN leader congratulated the newly elected Speaker Carmelo Abela and Deputy Speaker Bernard Grech, both of whom were approved unanimously by Parliament.

Looking ahead, Borg called for several reforms to Parliament. Among the proposals he mentioned were childcare facilities within Parliament to support MPs with young children, the establishment of a parliamentary committee dedicated to justice, and greater opportunities for the opposition to present Private Members’ Bills.

“There are many reforms that I believe both political parties can agree on,” he said.

Despite the election result falling short of the PN’s expectations, Borg argued that the party had registered positive developments. He pointed to increases in votes across every electoral district as well as stronger social media engagement and outreach.

“I believe that with the reforms that are coming, the PN will be in a better position than it was in this general election, particularly ahead of the upcoming European Parliament and local council elections,” he said.

Borg reiterated plans to amend the PN statute to create two deputy leader positions. He also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the European People’s Party (EPP), describing it as the largest political group in the European Parliament.

Discussing recent meetings in Brussels, Borg said security was one of the main issues raised during a summit of EPP leaders. He stressed the need for the European Union to invest more in security while respecting Malta’s constitutional neutrality.

Borg added that he had met European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to discuss the EU budget currently under discussion as well as the PN’s electoral performance.

Turning to local issues, Borg referred to recent reports concerning the allegations that a convicted killer had accessed the internet while incarcerated at Corradino Correctional Facility.

He said that a magisterial inquiry should be launched to determine how the incident occurred and identify any shortcomings within the prison system, adding that an internal inquiry – as has been launched – is not enough.

Borg said that since the day after the election he had continued meeting members of the public and intended to broaden consultations in the coming weeks to include business owners and workers.

He also noted that the PN had launched online platforms shortly after the election to encourage volunteering and gather feedback from the public.

“People told us they want to see a party that is closer to the people,” Borg said. “We will make sure that our MPs remain close to the people.”