Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi called on people to unite against racism and to stand up and react to events like the recent death of a Sudanese man who died in Paceville.

It’s as though nothing had happened when a man minding his own business in Paceville was attacked...

“It’s as though nothing had happened when a man minding his own business in Paceville was attacked, thrown to the ground and then died two days later,” he told a political meeting in Mellieħa yesterday.

Osama Al Shzliaoy, 27, was fatally injured when he was assaulted outside a nightclub a week ago, suffering serious head injuries. Two Romanian suspects are wanted by the police. One has already been interrogated and the other is expected to be sent to Malta after a European arrest warrant was issued against him.

Dr Gonzi said Mr Shzliaoy’s death was “shocking” and it was “worrying” that no one was concerned about his death, that people closed their eyes to the crime. He appealed to people to care and “to be shocked and come together when such things happen. Race and colour should not come between us. Malta should be a country where people feel safe.”

Dr Gonzi harshly criticised Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat for “personally attacking” an Enemalta official. He said he was “scandalised” by comments that the corporation’s human resources manager told employees that a Labour government would have them fired.

These words “reminded me of extreme socialism when people could not mention the name of a particular newspaper,” Dr Gonzi said.

He criticised Dr Muscat for stooping so low level and for attacking an individual who could not defend himself.

Dr Gonzi referred to a recent meeting he had with Forum, a confederation of trade unions, and said the government “will start taking steps” on their long-standing request to join the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

Once the Forum was recognised at a European level then it had the right to be involved in the council, Dr Gonzi said. “We are consulting with the other members to make this step forward in agreement with them but it is important that everything is done in the open,” he added.

Dr Gonzi emphasised the importance of transparency, something which, he said, Dr Muscat was not doing.

“It’s only now that I have discovered the wild promises he is making to everyone, showing that Dr Muscat is not seeking the national interest but votes”.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments, the Labour Party said that it was Dr Gonzi who had promised everything to everyone before the 2008 election but then acted the complete opposite.