Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening that the government was providing stability in the governance of the country and continuity in EU affairs.

In a message to the nation a few hours after he was sworn in and a day after winning a strong electoral mandate, Dr Muscat said the outcome of the general election was a strong message that the people wanted a new style of government. It was a message for all politicians and not any single party.

The unifying policies which were forged during the electoral campaign would be carried over to the government . "We were elected as a movement and will govern as a movement," he said.

The government, he said, would keep its feet on the ground, despite its strong majority. It would taken the decisions which needed to be taken but govern with humility.

It would seek to include everyone in the major decisions which would need to be taken . Anyone who wished to take part in the country's progress would be given the space to do so.

The transition which the country was going through was calm and the government would continue in this manner.

Despite its electoral advantage, the government would not render the opposition irrelevant. The rules of democracy handed power to the government. But the government had to respect and subject itself to the scrutiny of the people and its adversaries.

Dr Muscat said he would not steam roll over anyone. But the government would see to it that those who suffered injustice would get the deserved remedy, without, however, creating new injustices.

This, Dr Muscat said, was now the time to deliver. The country deserved stability and would get stability after a year during which the people did not know where the government stood.

The government's priority would be the approval of the Budget. As announced, the Budget presented in November would be retained, with an amendment to ensure that those on the minimum wage do not pay income tax.

The government would immediately work on its energy plan to give families lower bills and cleaner air while boosting the economy and jobs. 

The government would also present the Whistleblower Act, remove prescription for politicians and move a party funding law. 

In an effort to instil confidence in the political class, Dr Muscat said he was committing himself to ensuring that the members of the Cabinet would not be given a €500 weekly raise as happened in the last legislature. 

The government would work on the implementation of the law on IVF and on  parole.

The justice sector would be reformed before the end of the yea, also to instil public confidence and to ensure there were sufficient checks and balances and improve efficiency.

Work related to Malta's presidency of the EU in 2017 would be taken in hand. This was a national effort through which Malta had to show it was among the best members of the European Union.

Dr Muscat said that at the EU summit on Thursday his message would be one of continuity but the government would not shirk from being firm when it needed to on EU matters.

This, Dr Muscat said, was an important time for the country, a time for a change of direction for economic growth from which everyone benefited.

The government wanted to make it easier for businesses to work. It also wanted to improve the management of the health sector, where the private sector would be an important link.

In education, there would be no experiments but quality would be improved and more young people would be encouraged to continue studying. The government would continue to build on the good that had been done. The school-building programme would be maintained. 

The government wanted to see one united country. It would use the services of whoever wished to help so that this would truly be a Malta for all, Dr Muscat concluded.