[WATCH] Muscat highlights division in opposition coalition over hunting and racing track

Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat says it is time to broaden specialists' leeway on embryo freezing • Insists law should be chamged to allow gay women to be eligible for IVF treatment

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat answering questions in Mgarr
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat answering questions in Mgarr

The confusion in the coalition between opposition leader Simon Busuttil and Democratic Party leader Marlene Farrugia became more apparent this morning when they failed to present a common position on spring hunting and the proposed motor sports track, prime minister Joseph Muscat said tonight.

“When questioned during a conference organised by eNGOs we all attended, Busuttil said he was in favour of opening spring hunting and that he approved of a proposed motor racing track,” he said. “Farrugia, on the other hand, said she was against opening the spring hunting season and also opposed the race track.”

Muscat was attending a public Q&A meeting in Mqabba, answering questions  put to him by Maltese international model Tiffany Pisani, 2010 Britain’s Next Top Model winner.

“Can you imagine if Simon Busuttil won the election and had a one-seat majority in Parliament belonging to Marlene Farrugia?” Muscat noted. “I bet if you were to ask them another 100 questions, they would not agree on at least 95 of them, and they would only agree on their common dislike of me.”

Embryo freezing and eligibility for IVF treatment

The Labour Party leader said the debate on embryo freezing was practically moot, since the concept was already included in local legislation.

“Embryo freezing is included in the law, for when the specialists deem it a necessary solution,” he said. “We think it is time these specialists are given greater leeway in deciding when and how to help the couple who apply for the treatment.”

Muscat said it was also quite an anachronism that a country that was looking ahead to legalising gay marriage was sill denying the same treatment to gay women.

“The legislation currently discriminates against gay women, and it is time we reconsider this position and evaluate possible options such as sperm donating, as happens abroad,” he said.

On documents revealed on Sunday, which allegedly prove former Nationalist environment minister George Pullicino ignored the advice of Enemalta and changed emission legislation to pave the way for BWSC to be able to bid in call for tenders for the Delimara power plant, Muscat said he was preparing the documents to send them to the auditor general for investigation.

And with regards to how people were reacting to the concreted attack against Malta by the Malta Files, Muscat said that whoever really loves their country, do it without any ifs and buts, and do it “come what may”.