[WATCH] Muscat claims Busuttil ‘shooting from the hip’ over ODZ, Air Malta proposals

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat accused PN leader Simon Busuttil of “shooting from the hip”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat accused PN leader Simon Busuttil of “shooting from the hip” over recent proposals to safeguard outside development zones and turn Air Malta into a publicly traded company. 

Addressing a Labour activity in Mellieha, Muscat warned that Busuttil’s proposal – through which the approval of ODZ development would require an initial two-thirds parliamentary majority – would be an excuse for government to override the Planning Authority on planning decisions.

He noted that the proposal only requires a two-thirds majority for a maximum of two readings, after which government will be able to pass it with a simple majority.

“A previous Nationalist administration had formed MEPA that, for all its ills, had wrested the power to take decisions on planning permits from the hands of politicians,” he said. “With all due respect, I don’t think that the environmental NGOs who have supported this proposal understand the implications of it. This proposal will turn the clock back to the days where politicians used to take decisions on planning permits”.

He also questioned whether Busuttil eventually intends Parliament to take similar decisions on other non-ODZ related planning issues.

“This is a half-baked and unstudied proposal, and I urge the Opposition leader to retract it”.

He also questioned whether his counterpart had taken any professional advice before suggesting that Air Malta be turned into a public traded company, listed on the Malta Stock Exchange.

“He is an Opposition leader, aspiring to be Prime Minister, and he cannot shoot from the hip. He must substantiate these proposals and ensure that they conform to the law and EU regulations.”

He repeatedly said that the Opposition had no proposals of substance, and that criticism of his government was the result of “autogoals” from his side, rather than concrete proposals from the PN.

“The Opposition is heavily obliged to the establishment and isn’t committed to changing the country,” he said, arguing that the previous administration had shelved the Kappara Junction project because it had baulked at the potential criticism.

“This should teach us to weigh out our decisions more carefully, to act humbly in the face of criticism, and to have the self-confidence to stick to our convictions even when they aren’t popularly held.”

In his speech, Muscat also questioned whether Busuttil will take any action against Opposition MP Claudio Grech in light of an affidavit presented in court this week by Christopher Farrugia, CEO of the John’s Group car hire company and nephew of pardoned oil trader George Farrugia. The affidavit was presented during a defamation case presented by former infrastructure minister Austin Gatt against MaltaToday. 

As reported in Labour newspaper Kullhadd today, Grech – as head of secretariat to Austin Gatt – had tried to urge Chris Farrugia to disassociate himself from the oil scandal as it was “causing a lot of damage to Gatt”.

‘We must not swallow PN’s tribal politics bait’

The prime minister accused the Opposition of trying to provoke Labour politicians into adopting a tribal ‘blue versus red’ mentality.

“We mustn’t return to the trenches and adopt the the ‘us against them’ narrative. Labour had adopted that mentality for almost 30 years, always to its own detriment. It may be pleasing to live five years as a king enclosed in one’s own comfort zone, but ultimately voters will then kick us back into Opposition.”

He warned that the Opposition is in particular targeting those non-traditional Labour supporters who are collaborating with the government.
“They are attacking and vilifying these people, so as to send out a warning to others not to follow suit,” he said. “I will refute tribal politics until my last day in office. People’s voting history is irrelevant to me, so long as they are willing to work with us towards a united country.”

‘PN intend to restrict driving by number-plates’

In his speech, Muscat falsely claimed that the PN had proposed a system of road space restrictions, with alternate travel days for cars depending on their number plates.

“That’s not the way to solve traffic,” he said.

Muscat was ostensibly referring to the PN’s recent proposal for a voluntary scheme, whereby car owners would be incentivised to use their vehicles on selected days and during particular times.