WATCH | PN leader Alex Borg tells supporters to be the 'authors of the country's destiny'

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg has told thousands of supporters gathered in Sliema that the power of the country's future lies in the hands of the Maltese and Gozitan people.

"This is your moment to vote for change again," Borg told the crowd at the mass meeting, held under the theme 'New Breath'.

Borg opened by saluting three figures he described as important to the district, Robert Arrigo, Francis Zammit Dimech, and Karl Gouder, as well as the father of Maltese independence, Ġorġ Borg Olivier.

He said the election was not about the two parties, not about red and blue, but about the Maltese and Gozitan people, parents, young people, and families worn down by pressure, traffic, stress, and the cost of living.

Borg reflected on the nine months since he was elected party leader, describing a journey built on trust, hard work, and a simple belief that Malta deserves better. He said the PN had been among the people throughout, not only during the campaign, and had listened to their concerns and shaped concrete, workable proposals in response.

He added that from the very first day he took on the role, the work had not stopped.

He said the Labour Party had called the election a year ahead of time, and that to this day no clear reason had been given for doing so.

He said Robert Abela had thought he would catch the PN off guard, but instead found a party that was prepared, determined, full of energy, and full of proposals with a vision for Malta and Gozo.

He said public services had to be efficient and infrastructure had to keep pace with the country's needs.

He appealed to those who had lost faith in politics to come forward, saying change did not begin in Parliament but in the hearts of citizens full of courage and determination. He also repeated his apology for the shortcomings the PN had made during its 25 years in government. "We did a lot of good, but we were not perfect. We hurt people too, and I apologise on behalf of my colleagues," he said.

Borg outlined several of the party's key pledges. He committed to a minimum saving of €1,200 per year for Maltese and Gozitan families through personal income tax reductions, and said the cost-of-living adjustment would no longer be taxed under a PN government, so that what was owed to workers would be paid in full.

He also committed to abolishing inheritance tax entirely, describing it as a matter of social justice. "When you buy a property, you pay tax; when you sell, you pay tax. This is justice for the Maltese and Gozitan people," he said. He added that the same would apply to donations, so that parents and grandparents wishing to pass on property to their children would no longer be held back by the cost.

On energy, Borg said electricity bills would fall by an average of 30% from January under a PN government, covering families, those living alone, and farmers. He announced plans for a network of four hospitals across Malta and Gozo, including a new hospital in northern Malta, a new hospital in Gozo, further investment in Mater Dei, and investment to replace St Luke's.

He said that within the first 100 days of a PN government, he would call on the healthcare workers' union, MUMN, to negotiate a new financial package for doctors, nurses, midwives, and all hospital staff.

Borg addressed younger supporters directly, telling them he felt a greater responsibility towards them as the future generation. He said young people deserved to study, work, buy their first home, and build a family in their own country. He committed to a 25% increase in stipends from the coming scholastic year, saying the increase would begin from October without waiting for a budget.

On transport, Borg said traffic was costing the country around €170 million per year and that Malta had one of the highest rates of respiratory-related deaths in Europe. He said the PN's mass transport project had full technical detail, clear timelines, and confirmed financing, with shadow finance minister Adrian Delia having signed off on the budget.

He said the first major mass transport line would be completed within the first five years of a PN government, contrasting this with Labour's pledge of five more years of studies.

On population, Borg said Labour had grown the country's population without a plan to manage pressure on roads, hospitals, schools, and national security. He said a PN government would create a dedicated authority to manage population sustainably and protect the identity of Malta and Gozo.

On pensions, Borg committed to raising them by at least €650 per year and to introducing a free GP service at the homes of elderly patients. He said cancer medication would be fully free under a PN government, recalling that when the proposal was first announced, Labour attacked it as impossible before eventually endorsing it days later.

Borg also committed to creating more open spaces across Malta's towns and villages, saying they would not be covered in gravel but would be filled with grass and trees, where families could spend time together.

"I alone will not make it. We alone will not make it. But with you, we will certainly get there," Borg said, closing his address. "The hour of the Maltese has arrived. Malta and Gozo are calling you. This is the moment to give Malta and Gozo a new breath."

Closing his address, Borg called on supporters to grab their phones and post the hashtag #nifsgdid on social media to help spread 'the wind of change' from Sliema.