A solution to the current political crisis in the country has to be give the country clarity until the end of the legislature, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning.

Speaking at the Zebbug Club, Dr Gonzi said that he will do his best to find a solution but one which will only see to the situation on Thursday will not solve anything.

"That is not a solution. A solution should be one with no conditions attached to it," he said to applause. A solution, he said, should be one that would allow the government to implement its electoral programme.

Unless such a solution was found, the government will have to seek the people's confidence in an election even though it was not in the country's best interest for an election to be held now.

Dr Gonzi said that next week one of the most important weeks in this legislature since a motion of no confidence in the government was to be debated and a vote will then be taken on Thursday

When exchanging New Year Greetings with ambassadors last week, all were amazed at how a country that was achieving such positive results in such a situation was going through such internal turmoil.

Confidence, the Prime Minister said, was obtained by results, employment, a strong economy and education.

He criticised the Labour Opposition for trying to stop the government from debating the motion by only wanting to give it 75 minutes in which to explain its achievements.

"They had been afraid we would drag on the debate for months but that is not our style. It's theirs. We are not afraid of using the tools of democracy," Dr Gonzi said.

He again appealed for calm and for there not to be personal attacks.

"My appeal is addressed to all, including the Labour media," he said.

Later, he asked what would Labour do about the ongoing projects in the country should it win the next election.

Will they stop them all? And what about the workers? Tell us what you will do, we are dying to know and according to you, an election should be called next week," Dr Gonzi said.

The PN, the Prime Minister said, was not perfect and never would be.

"We make mistakes and we should acknowledge this fact but we do our best and give our all for the benefit of the people," he said.