Mario de Marco called on those who believed in the fight against corruption to join forces with the Nationalist Party.

Addressing the PN General Council, the former deputy leader said the voice of a government that was trying to hide corruption had become louder as a result of the lack of a united front against corruption.

“The Opposition, led by Adrian Delia, is doing its utmost to pass on the message that not everyone is willing to be bought or to close their eyes.

“However, it is important that those who believe in this fight against corruption unite with us... Corruption is the biggest challenge that our country is facing. That which unites us is bigger than that which divides us,” the PN MP said.

Dr de Marco also called on “people of goodwill who had distanced themselves from the party”, to join the fight.

“There is strength in unity,” he said, adding: “Our country needs to pass on a strong common message that we are not ready to allow three people undo the reputation that our ancestors built.”

Earlier, he noted that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had been elected on the pledge of eliminating corruption but he was now leading a corrupt government.

People had only learnt about the Dubai company 17 Black and Keith Schembri's and Minister Konrad Mizzi's secret Panama companies after an employee of the law firm Mossack Fonseca leaked emails, he said.

“Had that employee not issued the information, we wouldn’t have known what Mr Schembri and Mr Mizzi were doing behind our backs,” Dr de Marco added.

The council’s third plenary session on Saturday was addressed by several Nationalist local council candidates, as well as MP Claudette Buttigieg, who called on women in Malta to follow the worldwide revolution and stand up to be counted.

“There is a worldwide revolution instigating change in the political, cinematographic and entertainment sectors, where women are protagonists. In Malta we need more women to stand up, sound their voice and insist that wealth is for all.”

Kristy Debono addressing the council.

Closing the meeting, General Council president Kristy Debono meanwhile referred to the government’s lack of plan on the importation of foreign workers.

The party was not aspiring to be veer towards the far right – it only wanted planned immigration that everyone benefitted from, she said.

“We are not reinventing the wheel. The PN is providing an economic model that was successful in other places such as the US, Canada and Australia,” she said, noting that while these countries were enormous, Malta had very limited space.