Hints of a snap election: 'I won’t allow anyone to jeopardise Malta’s economic stability' - PM

Amid rising political tension in the country and calls by the opposition to step down, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has hinted that he may soon call snap elections.

It comes at a time when he is battling allegations that his wife, Michelle Muscat, would be the beneficial owner of Egrant Inc, the infamous offshore company whose existence was made public by the Panama Papers revelations.

Marlene Farrugia’s Partit Demokratiku has now joined forces with the Nationalist Party, whilst the fresh allegations against Muscat prompted coalition talks between the PN and Alternattiva Demokratika – although these have hit a snag.

MaltaToday’s survey and trust barometer published today shows that Muscat’s trust rating has dropped, although he still remains more trusted than his political rival, Simon Busuttil. The Labour Party is still leading by four points.

“Businesses have told me that sales are slowing down and investors now want to wait; I won’t allow this collation of confusion to risk the future of our children, endanger our country’s economic and political stability.”

Sunday newspaper Illum is reporting that Muscat will be dissolving parliament on Tuesday – when it reconvenes from its summer recess – and call for a June election.

Strongly hinting that Malta will be going to the polls, Muscat said: “These are the choices that the electorate needs to keep in mind: the choices are about work, the economy, the spending money and the standard of living. Who do you trust to keep this moving forward? Joseph Muscat and Edward Scicluna, or Marlene Farrugia and Simon Busuttil?”

Muscat described the PN-PD coalition as “a coalition of confusion that would become a national farce”.

As he urged his supporters to attend tomorrow’s 1st of May mass meeting in Valletta, Muscat encouraged the party faithful to remain calm: “We must remain optimist and positive. I can take the hits. They’ve lied and created this frame-up. I know they’re prepared to do anything. The easiest thing for me is to sound the battle cry and push for a fight between red and blue. But this is not what the country needs. We must not alienate ourselves. This is the moment where the country comes closer and works stronger.”

Muscat was addressing the party faithful in Nadur, Gozo. He asked his Gozitan supporters whom they trust to construct the bridge between Malta and Gozo: “It took them 20 years to do the Cirkewwa terminal.” He added that a tender was issued on Saturday for the provision of a fast ferry service between Gozo and Valletta.

He drove home the message that the economic growth the country experienced “will stop the moment the coalition of confusion is elected to power”.

“Do not think that this economic momentum can be maintained under a different government.”

Muscat said that the polls were showing that the Labour Party remained the natural choice of the electorate.

“They have literally thrown everything at us but the numbers show that the electorate can see through things and knows which direction the country should follow. These are exactly the moments when we will continue to work and remain humble.

“We will always be the underdogs… those that others think they can control. We recognize our mistakes, but we also recognize the good that we did. I am convinced that when the time comes, the electorate will choose to move forward, and not stop midway.”

Muscat was accompanied by his wife Michelle, who according to a former Pilatus Bank worker, may be the ultimate beneficial owner of Egrant.

“I am not surprised that the she hasn’t presented any form of evidence,” Muscat said, adding that the whistleblower also faces accusations of having fabricated evidence in a separate case. The woman faces fraud charges to the damage of Pilatus Bank, whilst she insists that the bank had lied about her because it had allegedly refused to pay her salary.

The woman had allegedly also made false statements against three police officials.

“All this reflects on Simon Busuttil’s weak political character who jumped at the allegations without making sure he could verify them. He is desperate enough to believe a person who has lied about others. Why would I be surprised if she fabricated something about me?

“I am serene and I sleep at night, knowing that I am in the right.”