The Nationalist Party this evening opened its Independence Day celebrations on the Granaries in Floriana with a dialogue with grass roots.
Speaking to a background of traditional ghana that came from the other side of the Granaries, PN leader Simon Busuttil opened proceedings by taking a dig at the Labour Party's electoral slogan 'Malta for All'.
He said the slogan had become the butt of many jokes in the first six months of a Labour government.
"Who today believes that Malta is truly for all after the partisan appointments made to Government boards? Mr Prime Minister, Malta is ours as well," Dr Busuttil said to applause.
His words were echoed by a supporter who spoke of how the Government was running roughshod over Nationalists, citing the recent army promotions as an example, and urged the PN leadership to do something about it.
The celebrations were reduced to a four-day event this year in the wake of the party's financial difficulties that saw it lay off workers over the summer months.
But there was no reference to the party's internal problems this evening as Dr Busuttil and every other speaker focused their guns on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Labour's first six months in government.
Dr Busuttil accused Dr Muscat of governing in a confused way and not having a roadmap. "I think he [Joseph Muscat] neither had a road nor a map."
The PN leader insisted the Government had rescinded on its promise to champion meritocracy and transparency, criticising the memorandum of understanding signed with a Chinese state-owned energy firm for the part-privatisation of Enemalta.
"How transparent is it to announce from the other side of the world the privatisation of Enemalta, a deal reached behind everybody's back?"
It was unacceptable for the energy minister's wife to then be employed at Malta Enterprise as an envoy for investment from China, he added.
Supporters were also addressed by PN parliamentary affairs deputy leader Mario de Marco and candidates for the European Parliament election next year.
The celebrations will climax on Saturday, Independence Day proper, with a mass meeting.