Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning that the prime minister should use next Tuesday's meeting of the PN Executive to stop the crisis in his party which is causing instability in the country.

The Executive is due to meet on Tuesday to consider and decide on Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando's claims against Richard Cachia Caruana and his call for Mr Cachia Caruana to be expelled from the PN.

Dr Muscat said he had long warned Dr Gonzi that unless he took the proper decisions in the interests of the country, instability would worsen. That was what had happened. The implosion of the Nationalist Party had continued and now Dr Gonzi had three MPs who were openly against him.

The Prime Minister needed to take the decision which needed to be taken, Dr Muscat said.

He said that while the PN was closing its doors and its clique was getting smaller, the PL was continuing to gain ground as it became a wider, all-embracing movement.

He said the country needed to have unity where all its human resources were fully used in order to make Malta the best in Europe. 

Dr Muscat said the people's living conditions were continuing to worsen, particularly as a result of the high utility tariffs which were causing hardship not only to the lower class but also those in the middle class.