Labour Leader Joseph Muscat should apologise for the “incorrect and unethical” statement linking the Delimara power station to a high incidence of cancer and asthma, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

He should make a public apology admitting his mistake because it is unethical

Dr Gonzi said Dr Muscat should make a public apology for the statement, saying he was taking advantage of people’s emotions.

Speaking on Radio 101, Dr Gonzi said using cancer patients in this way was “not on”, adding that experts had said there was no link of any sort.

“Using cancer patients is not on. (Dr) Muscat is playing on people’s emotions. What he said about the incidence of cancer or asthma being linked to the power station is not true.

“Experts are saying that cigarettes are the main cause of cancer and Malta has one of the lowest rates of cancer and asthma. He should make a public apology admitting his mistake because it is unethical,” Dr Gonzi said.

During the interview, Dr Gonzi also called on Dr Muscat to withdraw his energy plan which endangered the country’s finances.

“The country’s whole economic structure would collapse if Labour is elected. Let us all learn from the past and not trust Labour because our achievements are at stake.”

Dr Muscat is too much of a risk for the country, he said, adding that the financial service sector that Dr Muscat was praising could be jeopardised by the effects of Labour’s electoral promises on the country’s finances.

Friday’s debate between the three political leaders on Xarabank showed how Dr Muscat had no idea of the direction he wanted to take the country although he was repeatedly calling for a change in direction, Dr Gonzi said.

On the other hand, the Nationalist Party had clear priorities based on the premise that the country’s finances are kept on a sound footing. This, he said, ensured jobs and investment in education and healthcare.

He referred to the Standard and Poor’s downgrade, saying Dr Muscat, unlike rebel PN MP Franco Debono, agreed with the Budget so he could easily have voted in favour.

Dr Gonzi reiterated his intention to vote in favour of the Budget if in opposition, with the proviso that nothing else was added.

Labour, he said, could not implement the Budget and deliver its electoral promises because these were “contradictory”.