Prime Minister Joseph Muscat all but shot down the Nationalist Party’s request for financial compensation to make up for the Labour Party’s use of requisitioned properties, saying public money would not be used to pay off the party’s debts.
Dr Muscat expressed disdain at the PN’s proposal to raise social security contributions to be able to fund such compensation.
The first thing the PN should do is publish its audited accounts for the past 25 years
“It was the only concrete economic proposal we got from [Opposition leader] Simon Busuttil and now we know the reason behind it. The PN wants taxpayers’ money to settle [its] debts,” he said to applause.
Speaking at a political activity at the Għaxaq Labour club, Dr Muscat questioned the reasoning behind the PN’s compensation request. He said the only reasonable argument the PN could have made to be taken seriously was to say that the properties handed over to Labour should be taken back and not simply ask for money.
“To be taken seriously and so that people would not think it is terrified of a law on party financing, the first thing the PN should do is publish its audited accounts for the past 25 years and explain the provenance of all the funds that had been collected to build the new party headquarters,” Dr Muscat said.
Wondering where the funds had come from, since they included interest-free loans, Dr Muscat expressed scepticism that the large sums, as large as €10,000, had been collected at activities like coffee mornings.
He referred to the latest assessment by credit rating agency Moody’s, which confirmed that the Maltese economy was robust and healthy. He said unemployment was on the downward trend and was at its lowest level in history. This, he said, was the government’s “greatest achievement”.
Turning to the €35 million PV panel contract that had been awarded under former Nationalist minister George Pullicino, Dr Muscat warned that the government would uncover more such instances, adding that those involved would have to shoulder responsibility.
Dr Busuttil was sending mixed messages over whether he would defend Mr Pullicino, Dr Muscat said, first saying he would take action if what was being reported turned out to be true and then declaring he would stand by Mr Pullicino.
“The contract is extremely worrying because it was based on a letter th veracity of which could not be confirmed by the bank that had supposedly issued it, he said.
Mr Pullicino, the Prime Minister noted, distanced himself from the matter, claiming he had nothing to do with the tender award or the selection process.
Referring to last week’s trip to Singapore, Dr Muscat said he had discussions with the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which invests money in other countries. He was proud having been there to sell Malta’s successful cash-for-citizenship programme, even if it meant being called a salesman.
Turning to the government’s work programme, Dr Muscat said that after the law on gender identity, the next step was the decriminalisation of drugs.
In its reaction, the PN said it always insisted Labour should return the properties it “stole” from people. It also noted that Dr Muscat failed to mention the new power station project or the 58c-a-week cost-of-living increase.