Both major political parties were to blame for letting the problem of illegal immigration escalate, Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader Josie Muscat said.

He told a news conference this morning that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi recently admitted that there was a consensus between the two parties not to bring the subject of illegal immigration to the surface but discussed the issue in private meetings.

Dr Muscat insisted that ever since his party was set up two-and-a-half years ago it had been raising the threats posed by illegal immigrants – including those who arrived in Malta by boat and any immigrants who entered without or overstayed their visa. Since then the numbers had increased and the immigrants posed a treat to Malta’s cultural and religious values, he said.

He said that the PL and the PN had turned the election campaign into a political football and people needed to understand that on June 6 they would be voting as a whole country.