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Updated May 22 8.10am
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today warned all those thinking of abstaining or voting for another party that they would be playing into the “coalition of confusion’s” hands.
Addressing a mass meeting in Mqabba, Dr Muscat said people should go out and vote as early as possible on June 3.
He said he needed people’s help to convince others to go out and vote.
Abstaining would only help Simon Busuttil and Marlene Farrugia, whom he described as the most unstable couple ever in Maltese politics.
If people felt disappointed by one of the PL’s candidate, then they should vote for another candidate within the Labour movement, Dr Muscat said.
Dr Muscat announced he would be sending documents related to the BWSC plant that went “missing” to the auditor general for investigation.
Labour paper KullĦadd claimed today that the missing document proved then minister George Pullicino had gone against expert advice to change the law to allow BWSC to win the power station tender.
Dr Muscat slammed the PN for violating the principle of never working against Malta’s interests.
“Simon Busuttil threw this principle out the window. Those proud of the country will judge him on this”, Dr Muscat said.
He called for all Maltese to show their patriotism by hanging out Maltese flags on their balconies for all to see.
He accused Dr Busuttil of being in league with foreigners who were seeking to steal Maltese jobs.
Dr Muscat said the Opposition leader’s “political desperation” had even led him to call people to take to the streets on the basis of a “lie”.
He again repeated that Dr Busuttil should resign if the Egrant inquiry found no wrongdoing following allegations that the Panama company is owned by his wife.
Dr Muscat said the “lie” had served to damage not only himself and his family, but Malta as a whole.
Read: Muscat asks inquiring magistrate to investigate Egrant claims
Dr Busuttil had helped plan the “lie” and should, therefore, be held responsible for it, Dr Muscat said.
Without specifically mentioning them by name, the prime minister said that while many did not agree with his decision to retain Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri after the Panama scandal, he was willing to accept the political price for these decisions.
He insisted the country needed these two people, which was why they were retained.
“We are not like others, we do not think we are perfect. We are not elitist. I am one of you, for all my good, and for all my bad”, Dr Muscat said.
Dr Muscat dismissed claims made by former PL Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia that a Labour government would seek to introduce abortion.
Read: Joseph Muscat's U-turn on embryo freezing paving way for abortion - Godfrey Farrugia
He said such claims would not stop a Labour government from further advancing civil liberties.
Dr Muscat said 62 babies had been born through IVF, and a Labour government would provide financial support to couples who were seeking to adopt.
Former small claims tribunal adjudicator addresses meeting
The meeting was also addressed by former small claims tribunal adjudicator John Bonello who warned people that Opposition leader Simon Busuttil could not be trusted.
Last March, PN MP Jason Azzopardi filed a complaint about several social media posts by Dr Bonello, which he said called the adjudicator’s impartiality into question.
Dr Bonello, who for many years formed part of the PN’s executive, told the Labour faithful today he initially thought the PN would make progress under Dr Busuttil.
He said he soon realised he was wrong, as the party was now in a worse state than it was under former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Instead of choosing to rebuild the party, Dr Busuttil had instead chosen a divisive approach.
Dr Bonello said the PN had spent its past four years in opposition mudslinging.
He warned that the same set of characters who were present in the past PN administration were once again ready to take over.
Dr Bonello said the PN had affected a number of cringe-worthy U-turns on civil unions, the passport scheme and Egrant.
He said he knew from personal experience that Dr Busuttil was a liar.
“He lied to me. And like he lied to me, how will lie to all of us”, Dr Bonello warned.
In comments to Times of Malta, Dr Bonello said he handed in his resignation as an adjudicator last week prior to his mass meeting address.
He said all sitting scheduled for last week had been adjourned.
"I have tendered my resignation in order to be in a better position to express my views", Dr Bonello said.