Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today that Saturday's European elections were not only about electing MEPs but also about judging between his performance and that of Opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

The government had achieved a lot, and also made some mistakes, he said. He was however, responsible enough to ask the people to judge him and he was urging the people to vote Labour if they felt the government was doing its duty.

This, he said was a government which took decisions and did not sit on the fence, as the Opposition did.

He said that the legacy which this government wanted to bequeath to Malta was that it would be a truly European country where people were free to take their decisions and were accountable for them; where Church and state were truly separate even in cases of marriage annulment; and trade union rights were granted for the uniformed services. Contrary to what others were saying, the government was giving soldiers and policemen the right to join any trade union of their choice.

This government was also granting civil rights to ensure equality for all members of society.

Dr Muscat referred to those who were undecided how to vote on Saturday as said that come Sunday, he and the government would give their 200% to the country (loud applause).

This government had done a lot, but it still had a lot to do, not only in line with its electoral manifesto but also to change the culture, mentality of the people by challenging the status quo.

The people could not remain locked in the past, he said, the winds of change were blowing and rather than resisting them, the country should hoist its sails and progress even faster.

That, he said, was what should define the parties on Saturday. One could not only judge the government by what it had achieved so far, although the government had kept its promises, but one could also judge the negativity of the opposition. The people could also judge him and Simon Busuttil (boos from the crowd at the mention of Dr Busuttil).

This was not simply a choice of candidates, but a choice between him and the leader of the opposition. He trusted the electorate and would stand for their judgement, he said.