Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this evening praised Labour's former deputy leader Anglu Farrugia for the courage he showed when he broke his silence in The Sunday Times today.
Describing him as a "loyal political adversary" with whom he never agreed, Dr Gonzi said Dr Farrugia exposed the mask of the Labour Party.
Addressing a mass meeting in Mosta, Dr Farrugia's home town, Dr Gonzi said he admired the former deputy leader for the courage with which he was fighting injustice, lies and lack of values.
"It is clear that Anglu loves his party... The way he was treated exposes the arrogance of he whose only aim is to become the youngest Prime Minister of Malta," said Dr Gonzi.
He said Labour's slogan Malta for All did not apply to everyone but just the "clique" of Labour leader Joseph Muscat.
"It only applies for the clique of the fourth floor. And I know what I'm saying," said Dr Gonzi.
Referring to Dr Farrugia's description of his resignation as "political murder", Dr Gonzi said: "This is what Muscat did to a friend in Opposition. Imagine what he will do to you, to us, if we dare to give him power."
"Unfortunately for Anglu, now it is too late. But for us it is not. We have until March 9. We are still in time," he said.
Dr Gonzi also referred to Dr Farrugia's claim that Labour was too close to a number of contractors.
The Prime Minister asked whether these ties were linked to Labour's proposls on Mepa or its plan to build a power station the country did not need.
"Are these the same contractors who accompanied Muscat to Smart City? Is this why Muscat is suddenly in favour of Smart City?"
Dr Gonzi concluded the mass meeting by pledging to win the fight against corruption, warning people that, under his watch, if they played with fire, they would get burned.
"You can be a judge, a magistrate, a chairman or a clerk," he said, reiterating his willingness to give a Presidential Pardon to anyone who helped track down all those involved in the oil corruption scandal, "without protecting the spider".
Dr Gonzi also pledged to strengthen the Commission Against Corruption and to enact the Whistleblower's Act, while making penalties for corruption harsher.