WATCH | Alex Borg: ‘NGOs should not be dictating Nationalist Party agenda’

Opposition spokesperson for Gozo Alex Borg believes NGOs should not be dictating the Nationalist Party’s agenda.

Borg tells me his call for the party to disassociate itself from Repubblika does not mean the NGO’s work is “bad”, but because the PN has a wider role to play.

“They [Repubblika] are not the PN. Repubblika is an anti-corruption NGO, but the PN is not just an anti-corruption party, it has to also present itself as a government in waiting,” he tells me.

He insists the PN cannot stop at criticising government, but must offer solutions in order to convince people and get their vote.

A figure within the party who has recently stirred up controversy, Borg insists he is the target of a campaign by Labour. He believes the PL is doing this because of his success in Gozo.

“They want to break me because in the last general election I managed to secure a substantial number of votes; and in the MEP and local council elections for the first time after a number of years, the PN as a team managed to flip Gozo. We had not won Gozo in an MEP election for years, we were still in government when it happened,” he tells me.

For Borg, any talk on a possible leadership bid is too premature, and while he does not exclude anything in the future, he pledges his loyalty to current leader Bernard Grech.

He also draws comparisons to when Adrian Delia was ousted from the post, insisting the party should always support its leader till the end.

On how the PN can replicate its Gozitan success in other districts, Borg says he does not look at political allegiance when speaking to constituents.

“Everyone is welcome. I do not want anyone to be forgotten. Anyone who wants to speak to me, even if they are the biggest Labourite, I will do everything to help them. Yes, I have my political allegiance, but I must help everyone,” he tells me.

He also speaks of a Gozo with enormous potential, saying its double insularity is not a hurdle but an opportunity. “It’s what makes Gozo a diamond in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.”

One of the greatest challenges facing the island he says is it roads, which Borg says have descended into a dilapidated state. “All this while government has reduced capital expenditure by €4.75 million.”

The following is an excerpt of the interview. 

Follow the full interview on maltatoday.com.mt and our socials.

The latest MaltaToday survey shows a vote gap of around 24,000 votes between the two parties. What is the reason behind the PN not doing well?

A survey is a snapshot of the moment. You have to remember that in politics a day is a long-time, and over a span of years, a lot can change.

[…]

The general election is in around two years. I believe in politics if you have the will to work and listen to people’s pleas, you can change the survey…

Yes sure, but surveys have constantly read the pattern on how the electorate votes. You look at the 2022 and 2017 elections, surveys were always showing big majorities for Labour…

If you had to ask me whether the PN is ready to be in government, I’ll admit that yes, we have a lot of work to do. But over the past years under the leadership of Simon Busuttil, Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech, we were an effective Opposition.

Even lately you could see that effectiveness in play. If we look at the Vitals case it was started under Adrian Delia and concluded under Bernard Grech. The PN, despite being in opposition managed to rescind the contract, and the public is enjoying that success.

But now we have to be an alternative government, and the people I speak to tell me of their wish for an alternative to what we have today.

People out there know the Labour government, especially over the last months, is not the best the country can have. They are looking for an alternative, and it’s up to the PN to offer that solution.

You show that alternative with proposals and unity. One of the most effective things we can do is have a united and coherent party.

There are some who say the PN has internal trouble, and there are some who point their finger at you. They bring up situations where you issue press releases which might not be in line with the party’s stance. There was even an opinion, which elicited a strong reaction from a number of MPs, which saw you being labelled a Trojan horse. How do you reply to these allegations? Are you the problem inside the PN?

Who is saying this? Super One or Labour’s propaganda…

I don’t think Kevin Cassar is part of the Labour Party…

Kevin Cassar in the last MEP election endorsed Arnold Cassola, and is no longer in the PN. But the biggest attacks I received have come from Labour and its agents whose agenda is that of breaking me.

They want to break me because in the last general election I managed to secure a substantial number of votes; and in the MEP and local council elections, for the first time after a number of years, the PN as a team managed to flip Gozo. We had not won Gozo in an MEP election for years; we were still in government.

When they see this, Labour as it always does, zones in on an individual and decides they want to break him or her. This is their agenda.

After the survey I just mentioned, speculation and debate once again surged on the possibility of new leader for the party. Among those who people see as the PN’s new leader, is you. Would Alex Borg contest a leadership election?

The first thing I would like to say is that it is not normal for a 29-year-old to be leader, but the fact remains there is no leadership race.

The person who started my political career was Adrian Delia when he was leader, and during the turbulence under his leadership, which obviously wasn’t his fault, I remained by his side until the last day. It’s not because he is Adrian, it’s because he is the party’s leader. A democratically elected leader should not be removed.

When Bernard Grech was elected, I immediately stood by his side. Once again not because he is Bernard Grech, but because he is party leader.

[…]

You will now probably ask me what will I do when a vacancy arises. I do not want a vacancy to arise, because that would mean the PN lost the election. I want the PN to win the general election.

What happens in the future we will see, I can never exclude anything, but my primary goal is to see the PN win the election.

After government introduced a new booking system for Comino, you described it as a step back, and criticised the fact there would be no exemptions for Maltese nationals. Isn’t this a bit of a shallow argument? Shouldn’t we as Maltese also make that sacrifice to protect the Blue Lagoon?

When I made that argument, people out there called me a populist; some told me I was discriminating, but the reality is if you look at the numbers, you notice the majority are tourists. Maltese people make up a small percentage.

When I said what I said, I was speaking about resident and non-resident, which is normal in the country.

[…]

You have historic places which have a certain price for access for residents, and a different price for tourists. That is what I was saying. If you reside in Malta, even foreigners, should not be part of that booking system. I am not being populist.

Why should a Maltese person not have free access to Comino? If I have a boat or a kayak, why shouldn’t I have access to the land I was born in.

I totally agree with some level of control but these controls should be thought out, and not just implemented without any form of consultation.