May’s European Parliament election could be used by voters to rebuke the Labour government, giving it a yellow card over how it had led the country in its first year, Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil said.
“People who are dissatisfied with the way Labour has governed so far can use their EP vote to give it a yellow card,” Dr Busuttil told a rally for party supporters yesterday evening.
The well-attended rally followed a press conference earlier in the day at which the PN launched its five-week MEP election campaign in the run-up to May 24. It vowed to have a positive campaign focusing on people’s needs and aspirations.
Its aim is to elect someone to a third seat in the European Parliament, with the balance now standing at four-two for Labour.
Labour, Dr Busuttil said, had thrown its pre-electoral promises of meritocracy, transparency and a government that listens out of the window.
We need to show that the PN is alive and kicking and has fresh ideas
Referring to Labour’s 2013 general election slogan Malta Tagħna Lkoll (Malta for all), he said the Labour government had provided for “its close circle of friends” and those who appeared on Labour’s billboards and adverts.
He referred to decisions on which the government had no electoral mandate, such as the LNG tanker in Marsaxlokk Bay, the cash for citizenship scheme and the introduction of adoptions by gay couples. Malta had also been ridiculed around the world, he said.
The PN was conscious of the 36,000-vote deficit with which it was facing this campaign and was not “taking anything for granted”. He was proud of the party’s “formidable team of candidates” who were pushing the PN’s message of Malta Aħjar (A better Malta).
Even from the Opposition benches, the PN had left its mark by voting in favour of 80 per cent of laws and of a president from the other political camp. He was proud that the results achieved by the two PN MEPs in the last legislature surpassed those of the four Labour MEPs.
Dr Busuttil promised that the party would continue to visit thousands of people during the campaign to help the party better understand people’s needs. It was also keeping in touch through a new website: www.maltaahjar.com.
“We need to show that the PN is alive and kicking and has fresh ideas, while sticking to its values. Politics should be based on honesty and not on lies and should be used to serve people and not use them. Politics should unite, not divide,” he said.
Also addressing the rally, PN general secretary Chris Said admitted that the party had committed a mistake prior to the last election, focusing more on creating jobs and a strong economy than on people.
In reply to questions, he said the party’s financial woes were being addressed and its media companies had been brought to a sustainable level, although he acknowledged that some employees were still owed some back payments.
On Saturday, the PN will hold an extraordinary council meeting to approve the electoral programme for the European elections.