Opposition leader Simon Busuttil yesterday warned there were signs that the Labour government was attacking democracy and European values.

He said the “take over” of major institutions like the army, the police force and national broadcasting was of major concern.

So were the recent government declarations casting doubt over the holding of the spring hunting referendum, which was being demanded by some 40,000 citizens.

The PN leader issued this warning yesterday evening when addressing a political activity at St George’s Square in Valletta marking the tenth anniversary of EU accession.

Let’s not take these values for granted before it is too late

“Let’s not take these values for granted before it is too late,” Dr Busuttil warned while urging those present to vote for the PN candidates in the European Parliament elections.

He said that no government could try and buy people’s votes a month before an election but did not elaborate on this point.

He also lashed out at the government for sending people to get their free medicines from Labour Party clubs.

The only authorities which the government had not managed to complete control of were those protected by the EU, such as the Central Bank, where it was only this fact that had stopped the government from asking for the governor’s resignation, he said.

He also criticised the legal notice by which the minister could request personal information on students when at the same time it was not ready to divulge information such as the contract signed with Henley and Partners on the citizenship scheme.

The government was acting as if it was above the law by putting up billboards that did not have a planning authority permit, he said.

The Opposition leader also warned that the PN would not allow the Labour Party to try and rewrite history by portraying itself as the party which had championed EU membership.

He lashed out at the Prime Minister for writing, in an article in yesterday’s Times of Malta, that Labour had respected the will of the people on EU membership. He reminded his audience that the PL had proclaimed that the partnership proposal had won at the expense of EU membership.

Dr Busuttil also took a dig at former Labour leader Alfred Sant, now a candidate for the European Parliament but who had campaigned against membership.

He said that while the PN 10 years ago had celebrated membership, the PL was now hailing the reduction of the price of petrol by two cents. This was the kind of vision the Labour government had.