Busuttil urges voters to show government a ‘yellow card’ in May elections

The European elections are an occasion to send a clear message to the Labour government and warn it that it cannot do as it pleases simply because it won the general election with a handsome majority, PN leader Simon Busuttil said.

Acknowledging that Labour will stay in office whatever happens in the European elections, Busuttil told PN supporters at a rally held this evening, “you can give government a yellow card, you cannot throw it out but you can tell government that you are not satisfied."

Warning Prime Minister Joseph Muscat “you can’t fool all the people all the time,” Busuttil said the PN was facing a Labour government which excelled in marketing, however the PN leader reassured that the opposition was reaching out to the people and “humbly listening to you.”

Losing his voice towards the end of the rally, Busuttil told the PN supporters that the party would not give up because “having heart is more important than money” and reassured them that “righteousness will emerge victorious.”

Addressing the party faithful at the PN headquarters in Pieta, Busuttil said “the country was again calling on you,” adding that he had no doubt that the people would stand up to be counted and prove that the PN was still “alive and kicking.”

“If we forget who we are we can never regain the people’s trust,” he said, adding that the PN must not forget what it stands for and what it has achieved in the past.

In stark contrast to the 2013 elections, the PN supporters are brimming with confidence ahead of the European elections in which the party is aiming at electing, for the first time ever, three MEPs and closing the gap on Labour.

Underlining the PN electoral slogan ‘A better Malta’ (Malta ahjar), Busuttil said that the Labour government had nothing to be proud of, adding that “the PN believes in the country and in its potential, whatever the people’s beliefs, sexuality, race or age. Everyone deserves to be given space in this small country.”

Accusing the Labour administration of “locking” half the country out, Busuttil insisted that the “Malta for all” electoral slogan was only applicable to persons close to Labour.

In a clear pitch for disgruntled voters, Busuttil said, “when the government discriminates, it is not only discriminating against Nationalists but it also discriminating against Labourites who have been betrayed.”

Prior to the speeches, all 11 PN candidates were given a rapturous welcome by party supporters holding American-style placards – introduced in Malta by Labour – and Maltese and European flags.

In a brief speech, PN secretary-general Chris Said the party “believes in the country” and can once again aspire to “govern the country and restore the basic principles of democracy and meritocracy.”

Despite the European elections are being held very early in the legislature, Said said that the PN will “never give up” and said that despite the Labour party’s resources and finances dwarf the PN’s, the party was counting on its supporters, which he described as the PN’s biggest resource.

He added that the PN lost last year’s general election because the party erred in giving an impression that it was divided and “did not remain close to the people.”

“We have listened to the message you gave us and during the last 12 months we worked hard to or once again make it a people’s party,” Said added, underlining the PN new leadership’s  unity and drive.

While thanking the party supporters for keeping faith in the party in the toughest of times, the Gozitan MP thanked the large number of persons “who for the first time ever” joined the PN and were “offering their services to the party and the country.”