[WATCH] Joseph Muscat closes election campaign in Birgu: 'It's Adrian Delia or me'

Joseph Muscat tells supporters: ‘We were change, we are change and we will remain change’

Joseph Muscat in Birgu
Joseph Muscat in Birgu

The choice on Saturday is between Adrian Delia and Joseph Muscat, the Prime Minister told supporters at the Labour Party’s end-of-campaign rally on Thursday.

Joseph Muscat insisted he had nothing to hide and was asking people to judge him in Saturday’s European and local council elections.

“I will not hide behind anyone,” he said in a short but rousing speech in Birgu's main square.

Muscat addressed pensioners, young people, women, workers, motorsport enthusiasts and hunters.

Muscat insisted the choice was between him and Delia on Saturday
Muscat insisted the choice was between him and Delia on Saturday

He also tackled the issue of xenophobia, insisting the country was refusing the rhetoric of the Nationalist Party, which was fearmongering on foreigners.

“We filled Malta with work,” Muscat said, rebutting the PN billboard message that Labour had filled Malta with foreigners.

The Prime Minister again used forceful language to drive home the message. “Anyone who believes that the language of hate can get us anywhere is wrong. The Maltese are compassionate. We have strong values and this does not allow us to stay silent in front of a crime in which a man was killed because he is black,” Muscat said.

The rally brought to end the PL’s intense four-week campaign that saw the Prime Minister visit every locality.

Muscat urged people to go out and vote to deliver a message to those MEPs who “spent every minute of the last five years running down the country” in Brussels.

He called on people to vote for all Labour candidates. “I put my name beneath every one of our 14 candidates because they all love Malta.”

Labour supporters thronged Birgu's main square to hear the Prime Minister close off the electoral campaign
Labour supporters thronged Birgu's main square to hear the Prime Minister close off the electoral campaign

Pensioners have it better now

The Prime Minister said the quality of life of pensioners had improved over the past few years after pensions were raised four years in a row. “We also gave pensioners dignity by ensuring that free medicines are not out of stock.”

Muscat said the PL had inherited a country without hope but managed to turn this around.

“Others had lost hope. They left pensions static for 25 years but we believed; we had a plan; we delivered but this is nothing near what we have to give you more,” Muscat said.

He harped on the government’s achievements including, the increase in the minimum wage, free childcare and tapering of benefits.

“We trust that our children will be better than us. That pensioners can live a decent life. That the best days are here with us. We do not want a country of hidden poor but a country of small rich people,” Muscat said.

The rally in Birgu closed a four-week campaign
The rally in Birgu closed a four-week campaign

Young people and gender equality

“To the young people, I only have three words for you… work, work, work,” he said, adding the government’s direction had attracted investment and created thousands of jobs.

“I guarantee young people will find work in our country. If we continue down this road even the children of our youngsters will find work here,” he said.

Addressing gender inequality, the Prime Minister said it was not acceptable that women were paid less than men. He said the PL was committed to introduce changes so that more women were represented in Parliament.

“We will ensure equality in our laws and in practice. We were change, we are change and we will remain change,” he said.

Muscat also referred to motorsport enthusiasts and hunters, sceptical of government's pledges. "I tell motorsport enthusiasts that if the race track is mentioned in the electorla manifesto it will be delivered; I tell hunters and trappers if what you want is in the manifesto, it will be delivered," he insisted, targeting the two special interest groups.

The rally was also addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne.