• Sunday, February 24
Lawrence Gonzi says at a PN mass meeting in Naxxar that the positions of Joseph Muscat and Toni Abela are untenable. He appeals to Nationalists not to lose heart as “victory is close”.
Joseph Muscat tells a Labour mass meeting at Mqabba that the party will continue with its positive campaign and message, which promotes unity. He says the past few days witnessed the “worst type of politics” and appeals for people to be positive.
• Monday, February 25
Lawrence Gonzi says at a party activity in Birżebbuġa that the automatic choice of Malta’s 25,000 new voters should be the PN. Dr Gonzi says in Qawra that the PN was loaned €250,000 by one of construction magnate Nazzareno Vassallo’s companies in 2011.
Joseph Muscat says he expects the PN’s campaign to turn more negative. Speaking on One TV he says: “Those who have opted for a negative campaign have no issues to talk about and also nothing to say about our proposals. We will leave mud-slinging to others.”
• Tuesday, February 26
Party leaders take part in The Big Debate organised by The Times at the Intercontinental Hotel, St Julian’s. Lawrence Gonzi says he will not resign as party leader if the PN loses the election, while Joseph Muscat says he does not think the decision to close the shipyards was a good one. Both leaders say they would enter into a coalition with Alternattiva Demokratika if the Greens are elected to Parliament and neither major party has a majority of seats.
They also agree to reform Malta’s fireworks laws, not to increase VAT in the next five years and not to extend development boundaries. Dr Gonzi says he disagrees with a push-back policy for immigrants while Dr Muscat said he agrees with it if Libya is considered a safe country.
Alternattiva chairman Michael Briguglio, who was present for the first half of the debate, says voters knows where they stand with AD.
• Wednesday, February 27
Lawrence Gonzi says at a PN activity in Santa Luċija that a bad choice on March 9 would mean five years of economic and social chaos for the country.
Joseph Muscat, meeting Birdlife representatives at the Għadira Nature Reserve, says a Labour government will continue to apply Malta’s spring hunting derogation. However, he stresses EU rules on hunting will be respected and illegal hunting not tolerated.
• Thursday, February 28
Lawrence Gonzi says at Għargħur that the PN is committed to addressing issues faced by transgender individuals. Interviewed by Celine Falzon, herself a transsexual, Dr Gonzi is asked why the Government has not moved the Gender Identity Bill presented in Parliament by a Labour MP. Dr Gonzi says many Government Bills had also not yet been approved by Parliament, but agrees the transgender situation has to be rectified.
The Prime Minister criticises Joseph Muscat for saying the privatisation of the shipyards was a bad idea. “Dr Muscat is already making mistakes from Opposition,” he says.
Dr Muscat, after visiting SR Technics in Safi, denies asking Toni Abela to resign over his failure to inform the police about an alleged drug case at the Labour Safi club. During his meeting with the management of SR Technics, he pledges his commitment to consolidating the aviation sector.
• Friday, March 1
The three party leaders take part in a Xarabank debate. Lawrence Gonzi says Labour is all talk and no substance, Joseph Muscat questions the PN’s economic forecasts and Michael Briguglio says AD is not “anti-politics”.
Lawrence Gonzi appeals to disgruntled Nationalists, while speaking on Net TV, to look at the bigger picture and endorse the PN. Simon Busuttil, visiting Sliema shops, says the country needs the PN to win the election.
Senior officials of the hunters’ federation tell The Times they are close to signing a ‘memorandum of understanding’ endorsing the Labour Party. Joseph Muscat tells the Muslim community at the Paola mosque that a Labour government would waive a €400,000 loan to Mariam al-Batool School, Malta’s only Muslim school.