Who did oil trader pay, Joseph Muscat asks [SLIDESHOW]

Labour leader Joseph Muscat's mass meeting has raised new questions over new reports that suggest that oil trader George Farrugia will supply information related gifts and payments to a third party, that will widen the scope of the current police investigation into allegations of kickbacks paid by Trafigura to a former Enemalta consultant for the procurement of oil.

Labour held a mass meeting in 21 September Avenue, Naxxar where leader Joseph Muscat continued on his call for inclusivity and Labour's campaign cry of "Malta for all" ever present.

Referring to the symbolic date of 21 September 1964, Independence Day, Muscat declared that it was time to hand the country back to all of its citizens.

"The country is changing. Join this historic change. Let us show that we are proud of both our Independence and our Republic. These achievements should not have any political hues."

"We must overcome tribal politics. This movement is going to be much more positive. We will rise above the negativity coming from the other side. I will lead a positive government that does not divide but unites," Muscat said.

The Labour leader warned that attacks "from the other side" were bound to get worse, slamming the PN for being "cut off from reality" for not realising that people are fed up of the negative politics of the past.

"Even if you do not agree with us you can still work with us. The strategies of others and their negative politics shows how cut off they are from reality. The attacks are only going to get worse the closer we get to the election," Muscat said.

"They used to say that this movement has no proposals. Now they are criticising us and saying that we have too many proposals. I am confident that with the PL's proposals we will leave more money in peoples' pockets, increase social mobility and create a new middle class," said Muscat.

The meeting was somewhat short of substance, but Muscat did refer to the PL energy policy.

"Our energy roadmap will reap tangible results. It is the only plan that has been fully costed and all the timeframes are in place and doable."

For the third mass meeting in a row, Muscat insinuated that someone might still be on the take on Malta's oil purchases, which amount to almost €1 million daily.

He made reference to the revelation in The Sunday Times of an investigation by the Tax Compliance Unit on George Farrugia's company Aikon Ltd, through which Trafigura and Total supplied oil to Enemalta.

Muscat said this information had been buried "in a sea of bureaucracy" and then referred to MaltaToday's own front-page report, questioning whether any politicians had been recipients of gifts from Farrugia himself.  He questioned who these presents had been given to [it is worth clarifying that what this paper actually reported is that "gifts, financial transactions and payments to third parties" were made in the oil kickbacks scandal].

Muscat thanked all the assembled youngsters for the huge welcome they gave him and his movement's ideas at the Junior College, Higher Secondary and University over the past few weeks.

"I implore all you youngsters here with me today to help me spread the message of this movement. If others have given up on you, I can say that I trust you. Your belief in me is reciprocated by my belief in you," Muscat said.

Alluding to the PN's insistence that 'justice will prevail' (is-sewwa jirbaħ żgur), the clarion call for Eddie Fenech Adami in the 1980s, Muscat was adamant that "no one has a monopoly on what is right. This movement is on the right side of history".

He also insisted that those unsure about whether to vote Labour for the first time should overcome their fear and take the plunge, and that the Labour 'movement' does not discriminate on the basis of superficial judgements.

"We are all one united family, distinctions on the basis of politics do not exists. This is why we are assembled here today, in order to highlight that there are no differences between us."

Hannes Swoboda, the president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats - the socialist grouping in the European Parliament, also addressed the mass meeting.

Swoboda spoke of a new "socialist Europe" in the making, one that will be much closer to its people.

"The full weight of the European socialists' party is behind the PL and its leader Joseph Muscat," Swoboda said, expressing his admiration at the enthusiasm of young people in the PL's movement.

"I wish to see such enthusiasm about politics stemming from youngsters in more parts of Europe."

The S&D president said that Malta had to get on board with the rest of Europe and switch to gas technology in order to benefit from cheaper and cleaner energy.

Swoboda, who spoke in English throughout his address, finished off by saying in Maltese "Malta is for all" (Malta Tagħna Lkoll) and Europe is for all, much do the delight of the assembled crowd.