The upcoming European Parliament elections will be a referendum on abortion since every seat going to the Labour Party would be a seat in the European Parliament in favour of abortion, PN leader Adrian Delia claimed on Sunday.

Speaking at a party event in Mellieħa, Dr Delia started by referring to those mothers who had had an abortion, saying they did not deserve to be condemned but to be helped.

The Opposition leader thanked mothers facing various circumstances. He thanked single mothers and the mothers of politicians, "who have to watch as their children are mocked on the public stage". 

Dr Delia criticised those who said they were pro-choice instead of saying they were pro-abortion. They were saying they were in favour of the choice to end the life of someone else, Dr Delia said.

The government, he added had described the embryo as a clump of eight cells, showing it did not recognise the rights of the unborn child.

Quoting from the European Socialists' manifesto, Dr Delia said that Frans Timmermans, the "intimate friend" of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had proposed that "every individual should have equal access to sexual and reproductive rights".

This was a guarantee that every seat the Labour Party won was a seat in favour of abortion in Malta, Dr Delia said.  "A vote for Labour is a vote in favour of abortion". 

The Labour party had repeatedly said it was not in favour of abortion in Malta, but Labour MEPs did not respond to a survey by the Life Network Foundation on whether they were in favour of the measure.  

The Labour Party was not saying the truth because it had "something to hide," Dr Delia said.

'20 people will die in two weeks due to air pollution'

Turning to environmental concerns, the Opposition leader said climate change would lead to more injustices.

Immigration would become a bigger problem as the climate changed because people in the most affected countries had to flee and come to Malta and other countries, he said. 

"We cannot stand around and not do anything any longer," Dr Delia said. Premature deaths due to air pollution in Malta were on the rise, and 20 people would die by the time the election took place in two weeks. 

The Nationalist Party wanted to change the government's attitude on the environment. The government had pledged to double the park in Ta' Qali but everyone knew that the environment was not a Labour priority.

The government had also lost its social consciousness since it did not support youth. Young people were trying to start their own life but could not afford to buy or rent a house, Dr Delia said, adding Dr Muscat was the only Prime Minister that has not yet built social housing. 

A fired-up Dr Delia encouraged people not to lose heart. "You have a duty and a responsibility, with MEPs, with us, to stand up to take on this responsibility to give [the government] a response," he said.

"Do not lose heart," he said. "Be convinced. I am convinced," he told supporters. 

Labour: Delia coming up with issues which do not exist

In a reaction the Labour Party, without mentioning abortion, said Dr Delia had run out of arguments and was inventing issues which did not exist. It said the elections on May 25 were a contest between him and Joseph Muscat and about where they wanted to take the country. 

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