Nationalist MEP David Casa has hit back at a statement of the Party of European Socialists which yesterday urged the PN to censure comments on Adolf Hitler purportedly made by PN candidate Salvu Mallia. 

Yesterday's statement was issued by PES president Sergei Stanishev.

“Mr Stanishev has lost the plot. Who is he trying to fool by linking Partit Nazzjonalista to Adolf Hitler? Mr Casa asked.

He reproduced Mr Mallia's text and said people could judge whether Mr Mallia was supporting Hitler or the complete opposite.  

Mr Mallia told The Sunday Times of Malta: "PM Muscat is a tasteless crook who exploited all the weaknesses of society. For me this is a battle against evil. No dictator is ever up front about their intentions to screw you. Dictators pretend to be nice. If you look back at Adolf Hitler, he was very progressive. The first campaign against smoking was carried out by the Nazis. Society was affluent. That was Adolf Hitler. Was he good? I don’t think so!”

In its statement yesterday, the PES said Simon Busuttil had refused to pass comment after one of his leading parliamentary candidates described Adolf Hitler as a "very progressive" leader.

"The Party of European Socialists is horrified not only at the outrageous comments themselves, but at the failure of the Nationalist Party leader to deal with the issue as soon as they came to light."

Mr Stanishev said: "If Mr Busuttil does not have the courage even to stand up to one of his own candidates who has so clearly crossed the line, then he certainly does not have the necessary attributes to lead Malta's official opposition, never mind to stand for election to government.

"I call on Mr Busuttil immediately to disown his candidate's despicable comments and to set out the measures he intends to take to correct the situation.

"It is also tasteless that a political candidate from any party should think it appropriate to invoke a genocidal dictator in an attempt to criticise a progressive elected leader such as Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat."

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