The PN is pledging to raise standards further even though it finds itself in Opposition, in contrast to the Labour government which is stooping to the lowest levels, party leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday.

Addressing a political activity in Żejtun, the Opposition leader referred to two separate private members’ bills filed this week in which the party called for a number of constitutional amendments.

“This is what a constructive Opposition is all about,” he said.

Through these bills the PN is seeking to safeguard disabled people from discrimination and protect citizens’ privacy.

Regarding the latter issue, Dr Busuttil criticised a recent legal notice authorising the Education Minister to request students’ personal data for research purposes.

The PN leader also lashed out at a recent remark by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who described successive PN administrations between 1987 and 2013 as “25 years of punishment”.

Dr Busuttil did not mince his words, accusing the Prime Minister of being a “liar”.

He said such remarks were an insult especially to party activists from Żejtun who were subjected to political intimidation prior to 1987.

During this period Malta had been transformed from a third world country to a modern democratic one. He asked whether the Prime Minister was also referring to EU membership and the adoption of the single currency when speaking about the years of punishment.

He said the ones being castigated where those on the unemployment register which had reached the 8,000 mark, those at the receiving end of political discrimination in the distribution of free medicines, and Enemalta employees facing an uncertain future due to the planned takeover by a Chinese company who would get a minority stake.

On the other hand, he said, the ones better off were people like Konrad Mizzi’s wife who was on a €13,000 monthly salary and the AFM commander who had performed “a long jump” when he was awarded four promotions in one go.