Grech calls out Abela's hypocrisy after voting for strengthening EU defence

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has called Prime Minister Robert Abela a populist and a hypocrite after voting in favour of strengthening the EU’s defence spend despite calling Roberta Metsola a warmonger for being in favour of the move. 

In an interview on the PN’s NET TV, Grech called the move an example of a Prime Minister who has no direction except the direction that can “win him points,” as he noted that Abela is preoccupied with internal troubles within his party. 

Earlier this week, The Prime Minister supported proposals for the EU to dramatically increase defence expenditure and improve its overall defence preparedness and capabilities to fulfil its demands in the face of escalating security threats during a summit of the European Council.

“He said that we want to send our children to war,” Grech reminded.

Addressing concerns on the rising cost of living, Grech said that this issue affects everyone except those who Abela rewards for obeying him by giving them substantial salaries funded by the taxpayer.

The PN leader highlighted that even the most hard-working people are struggling to keep up as their salaries aren’t increasing enough. “Why? Because they find someone to import or through some other means and they take their work,” he explained, saying that this is a fact, not racist rhetoric.

“When it comes to the cost of living, we have a government who has left you alone.”

Grech said that although the PN had provided the government with a way forward, it did not want to put them into practice. These solutions include a tax-free COLA and aside supporting Maltese companies that have to import and export goods.

According to Grech, there is a lack of assurance over the government's ability to provide pensions, which exacerbates the problem of rising costs of living.

Grech concluded by saying that the only economic strategy the government had was to raise the number of people in the workforce, which has already doubled. As a result, people are struggling with the burden of this.

PL reacts

Later on Sunday, the Labour Party issued a statement saying that Grech is "bending facts" regarding Abela's vote.

The PL said that Grech went to Brussels for a photo-op with "those focused on promoting war," without speaking about Malta's neutrality. The statement also noted Grech's silence on PN MEP candidates who are "ready to send our children to a European army."