Updated: Opposition being unethical - PM

(Adds Prof. Scicluna's reply)

Economist Edward Scicluna, who is a Labour MEP, changed his professional opinion about the sustainability of free healthcare according to political convenience, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning.

"Now that he is involved in politics he changed his views and is no longer objective.... His views are driven by political convenience," Dr Gonzi said adding that Prof. Scicluna was demeaning his own technical credibility.

Dr Gonzi guaranteed that he would ensure the country retained a free healthcare system. His government worked hard to ensure the country did well financially so that the money could be spent on ensuring social justice.

When it came to healthcare, there was no distinction between poor and rich.

He also said that a Nationalist government would also retain student stipends which were essentially an investment in the country's human resources.

In a reply, Prof. Scicluna said that the Prime Minister's statement reflected the government's lack of ideas in the area of public finance.

He made this false accusation, similar to others made in the past, while in the same breath condemning the ugly side of politics based on personal attacks rather than debates, Prof. Scicluna said.

"If the Prime Minister wants to debate his definition of free health care with its record of patients left in corridors, long waiting lists for operations and a shortage of drugs I shall be happy to oblige," he said.

Speaking during an interview aired on Radio 101 the Prime Minister also spoke about the Opposition motions calling for the resignation of Richard Cachia Caruana and censuring Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

This, he said, showed the ugly side of politics based on personal attacks rather than debates. The Opposition was showing its true colours and was trying to force people to resign by inventing false claims, he said. This was unethical.

He said he would work hard to ensure this was not allowed in the name of the country's political integrity.

Dr Gonzi also accused Labour Leader Joseph Muscat of copying a campaign logo - guaranteeing jobs to young people – from European socialist parties.

He said the campaigns were designed for other countries where unemployment was higher. The European campaigns also spoke against liberalisation which Dr Muscat was therefore endorsing.