[WATCH] On abortion, Adrian Delia saw the panic button and pressed it – Joseph Muscat

The Prime Minister says government has no mandate to introduce abortion as he accuses Adrian Delia of trivialising the subject

Joseph Muscat: 'Choice on 25 May is between me and Dr Delia'
Joseph Muscat: 'Choice on 25 May is between me and Dr Delia'
Joseph Muscat says Adrian Delia's scaremongering on abortion is a short sighted survival strategy

Adrian Delia’s decision to turn the European election into a referendum on abortion is a sign of panic, Joseph Muscat said, accusing his counterpart of having no arguments.

The Prime Minister was reacting to Delia’s speech yesterday in which he said the 25 May election was a referendum on abortion in line with the Nationalist Party’s latest campaign strategy.

Muscat said abortion was an important issue that merited a serious debate. “Dr Delia saw the panic button in front of him and pressed it but this is a short term and short sighted survival strategy.”

This is ridiculing an important subject for which people merit a sober discussion without stereotypes Joseph Muscat

People resort to fearmongering when they have no more arguments to make, Muscat said, insisting the government had no mandate to introduce abortion.

Muscat brushed off a question by a journalist from the PN media house when asked whether he condemned Labour MEPs for voting in favour of abortion in the European Parliament.

The question was a reference to instances when MEPs were asked to vote on wide resolutions, mostly targeting poverty in developing countries that would include within them a clause supporting reproductive rights for women.

“I was an MEP and I know how things work. It does not make sense voting against a resolution on poverty because of a single clause you would have voted against… this is ridiculing an important subject for which people merit a sober discussion without stereotypes,” Muscat said, accusing Delia of being irresponsible.

The Prime Minister warned that Delia’s strategy was nothing more than a sign of panic and would eventually come back to haunt him.

“I will continue to campaign on the real issues and this latest episode confirms that the choice in this election is between me and Dr Delia,” Muscat insisted.

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