Updated 2pm - Added PN reply
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning insisted that the controversy fuelled by Daphne Caruana Galizia's allegations against his wife had made the Labour Party stronger, with a wave of newcomers coming on board.
"From this thorny story of lies a rose will come out which will make us even stronger".
"I have nothing to fear as I am saying the truth", he remarked.
A rather emotional Prime Minister made these remarks when addressing the PL's general conference which came to an end this morning.
Dr Muscat started off his speech by thanking those who expressed solidarity with him in the last few days, prompting the crowd to burst into applause while chanting "Joseph, Joseph".
The Prime Minister insisted that he was relaxed as he was saying the truth.
Dr Muscat welcomed newcomers like Jean Claude Micallef and Manila Bottone who joined Labour after breaking ranks with the PN.
The Prime Minister said that the "decency line" in politics should not be stepped over, for no reason not even in a desperate attempt to clinch power. "Others are no longer acting like politicians, and have been taken over by their political future which is close to a collapse."
"Dr Busuttil has called a protest on something [the owner of Egrant] which he says was 'secondary'. His only proof was a photo of a suitcase, and he has built his political future on an obscene lie," he added.
"On the same day in which others were supposed to bring evidence, I went to testify before the inquiring magistrate. Others did not turn up and lost even more credibility," he said, referring to Ms Caruana Galizia.
Dr Muscat addresses delegates this morning. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Dr Muscat said that the situation boomeranged against the Opposition leader.
"I feel that the people have realised this, as we have seen so many newcomers in the party over these past few days".
He also "thanked" Dr Busuttil for having helped undecided voters make up their mind to vote for the PL.
"I swear before God and all of you here that the more they throw to us, the stronger we will get. Do not let the attack against me and my family affect your serenity" he added.
"Do not allow anybody to unwind you. I have thick enough skin to sustain these attacks and truth will prevail".
He remarked that he was never so proud to lead this movement as at present.
New investment soon
Speaking on Labour's track record, he said that families were living better than in 2013, and social mobility resulted in more people moved into the middle class.
"The PL government reduced the energy tariffs, increased wages, cut taxes, removed stamp duty for first-time property buyers, introduced free childcare. These measures have resulted in more money in people's pockets."
He added that Malta was attracting unprecedented amounts of foreign investment which would create jobs.
"In the coming days we will announce new investment which will create more jobs," he added.
Regarding the country's finances, he said the government wiped out all the debt made between 2008 and 2013 and had now registered a surplus, despite having cut taxes and utility bills.
He said that this was the most economically competent and socially responsible government Malta ever had. "I am proud of this economic miracle, as well we are starting to win the war against poverty".
Fight against poverty
The Prime Minister said this was a reality which the government was working to eradicate. Recent data on those severely materially deprived showed that these have gone down from 39,000 to 19,000 in just three years, he remarked.
"We erased all poverty which had been created during the previous legislature. More people are in employment, while poverty levels have fallen to the same level of Germany. Dom Mintoff would have been very proud of such an achievement".
Nevertheless, he said 19,000 was still too many, and so the PL would work eradicate it once and for all. "This is my dream. This is why we are registering a surplus. Prosperity with a purpose is our aim."
He noted that priority would be given to families with children and only one working partner.
Speaking on the new collective agreement for 30,000 civil servants who will benefit from a wage increase, he said those in the lower-middle scales would feel the greatest benefit.
In return taxpayers expect a better service and this year for the first time ever, key performance indicators were introduced, Dr Muscat said.
The next step, the Prime Minister said, was to address precarious employment in the private sector, through the principle of equal work, equal pay. This would be implemented while keeping the PL's pro-business approach.
No more heavy fuel oil from tomorrow
On the environment, Dr Muscat admitted that the government could have handled the situation better.
"We were judged mostly by the Żonqor controversy, despite having scaled back the development. We were also judged by statistics which were not compiled by the government."
Dr Muscat said that the environment also meant more public open spaces and clean air.
"Tomorrow will be another historic day for the environment as it will be the last day in which heavy fuel oil would be used. All the power station turbines will be powered by gas."
"Tomorrow the cancer factory will close for good This will also mean the dismantling of the power station chimney, which brought so misery to Marsaxlokk residents. The gas pipeline will also become reality much earlier than many think, to get rid of the gas tanker."
In contrast, others took ages to build a new hospital, the Cirkewwa terminal, failed to reform the bus service and address out-of-stock medicines, he noted.
These achievements gave the PL credibility to address the traffic situation which had worsened due to increase in employment, with 40 new cars on the road every day, he said.
The PL would be proposing a mass transport solution backed by proper studies rather than wishful thinking, he said.
In his address he also referred to the rise in rent rates, saying the government wanted to make it easier for people to purchase property. "If we do not address this problem ourselves, nobody else will."
Security concerns, new powers to investigators
On security, the Prime Minister acknowledged that recent incidents between criminal gangs were unacceptable and said new laws would be drafted to give investigators broader powers to fight organised crime.
Dr Muscat said it made no sense for local wardens to be employed with the private sector. "We will soon begin consultation so that they will be incorporated in a government department, but nobody would be able to be transferred to another State entity."
The Prime Minister admitted that in certain cases the government's was not listening to the people's grievances, especially those of the elderly.
For this reason, veteran MP Joe Debono Grech has been assigned the task of keeping in touch with them.
In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister said that others would not manage to make the PL lose their focus. "We need to be firm but not evil."
He said this movement was not bitter and was welcoming new people.
"This is a united and strong movement which needs no coalition. People do not want confused coalitions but somebody who takes decisions firmly in serenity".
"We are just in the middle of the road, but need to do much more and so I urge you to join us in Valletta for the May Day celebrations," Dr Muscat said.
'Muscat's monument to corruption will open tomorrow' - PN
In a one-line reply, the PN said that tomorrow would herald the opening of Dr Muscat's "monument to corruption" - a reference to the opening of the Delimara gas-fired power station.