3.06pm Update with PN reaction
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today criticised Opposition leader Simon Busuttil for making a veiled threat in Parliament to undermine Leo Brincat’s nomination to the Court of Auditors.
Dr Busuttil last week said Mr Brincat’s vote against a no confidence motion in Minister without Portfolio Konrad Mizzi could potentially undermine his nomination.
Addressing the party faithful in Qrendi today, Dr Muscat expressed his hope that Dr Busuttil’s “immature” comment had simply been made in the heat of the moment.
Dr Muscat said the Opposition leader should call for Tonio Fenech’s resignation, after Mr Fenech showed in his asset declarations that he is the chairman of an advisory firm owned by a company in the British Virgin Islands.
The Prime Minister said Dr Busuttil could not hide behind the excuse that Mr Fenech had done nothing illegal.
Dr Muscat said he had taken decisive action against Dr Mizzi even though there were no illegalities in his actions.
The Prime Minister highlighted the differences in economic management between this government and the previous one.
Dr Muscat said the previous Nationalist government had merely sat back and administered the economy, whereas this government had led its growth.
“We have a situation where the amount of jobs created under this government in just three years is 300 per cent more than those created under the previous government,” Dr Muscat said.
He reiterated that the government had a 10-year plan, and in two years’ time people would be able to choose if they wanted to continue on the road of economic growth and social justice.
“Genuine” people recognised the government’s economic successes but expressed their concerns when it came to the environment and good governance, Dr Muscat said.
He pledged to do more in these two areas, while pinning part of the blame on the previous government.
Dr Muscat said his administration had mistakenly followed in the footsteps of the previous one when it came to a reluctance in publishing government contracts.
“I have already said major government contracts will be published by the end of the year. We have no problem publishing them,” Dr Muscat said.
He touted this government’s track record when it came to good governance, citing the introduction of the whistleblower act and party financing law.
On Dr Busuttil's challenge for the publication of his Dubai holiday receipts, Dr Muscat said that if the Opposition leader wanted to imply corruption he should say so clearly.
Muscat is increasingly 'mediocre' - PN
In a reaction, the PN said that likening former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech's professional work to the opening of secret Panamanian companies by Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri "is a confirmation of Joseph Muscat's mediocrity."
Questions about Leo Brincat's nomination to the European Court of Auditors were legit, it insisted, given that Dr Muscat had left him in the "uncomfortable position" of backing Dr Mizzi in a no confidence motion earlier this week.
The PN repeated its calls for the Prime Minister to publish receipts related to an Easter trip he and his his wife made to Dubai.