Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday cautioned against alarmist statements on migration made by European institutions, saying they should instead focus on action.

Speaking in Dingli at the fourth electoral campaign discussion ahead of the local council elections and hunting referendum in April, Dr Muscat said he was somewhat angry at institutions such as Frontex, which had said thousands of people would be crossing the Mediterranean.

“I was expecting Frontex to instead say what it would be doing... The problem of migration will not be solved by issuing alarming statements, but by European institutions saying what they would be doing in practice,” he said.

Dr Muscat acknowledged there was a problem of migration towards Europe, however last year and so far this year, Malta had the least number of arrivals.

The Prime Minister was being asked whether the Maltese should be concerned about the ongoing conflict in Libya. He said the Maltese could put their mind at rest that, if there was a problem, the government would say so. Speaking about health, the Prime Minister said the hospital today was smaller than that of 20 years ago even though more beds were needed as people were living longer.

“We will be taking decisions to increase hospital supply so that more people would be catered for and treated with dignity.”

He also spoke about the price of fuel, insisting that petrol was now 6c and diesel 1c cheaper than the European average.

Unlike other countries, he said, the Maltese knew prices would not go up as they were fixed.

Replying to questions on energy, the Prime Minister said the Marsa Power Station, which was switched off last Monday, was being kept on cold standby and could be used again if needed.

The interconnector would officially start working in the coming weeks. However, it was more feasible at the moment for Malta to produce its own energy than buy it from the Italian and European markets.

On the drug law reform, he said the government had opted for the path of common sense and took a courageous decision, that had been long overdue, with conviction.