[WATCH] PM fuelling fear and racism to split PN, Opposition leader says

Opposition leader Adrian Delia has said that at a time when the country should be coming together, the Prime Minister is fuelling racism and fear. 

Speaking during an interview on party station NET Television, Delia accused the government of strengthening xenophobia in the population. 

“In the last 48 hours, we assisted to a prime minister who deliberately chose to fuel racism and fear in an attempt to take advantage of the current situation to divide the opposition and the country,” he said.

On Friday night, PM Robert Abela addressed the nation on state broadcaster TVM, lashing out at the Opposition. 

The Prime Minister slammed police reports filed by Repubblika against him, the AFM commander and a patrol boat crew, saying this has served to place an additional burden on the army as it fights to help control COVID-19's spread.

Delia insisted the government’s economic plan, not the migrants, should be blamed for the island’s over-population, stating that for years the government has been “luring” foreigners to come work in Malta, in a bid to strengthen the islands’ economy. 

The PN leader said that nobody should be left to drown, “even if the country’s resources are being stretched”. 

Delia called on government to lobby with EU states over the relocation agreements surrounding migrants. 

“The number of MEPs the government has does not matter, what matters is that these MEPs are strong enough to discuss these issues and move Malta forward," he said. 

Delia also distanced himself from the actions taken by civil society group Repubblika, stating government wants to bid the PN against the AFM. 

“We have always spoken in favour and praised those workers who are at the frontline of this pandemic, but once again the government seeks ways to split the party from the country."

The PN leader said just because Opposition points out and reports individual wrong doings in the army and the police, it is not attacking all workers. 

"Should we not criticise the wrong doings of our previous police commissioner who was completely incompetent? The Labour Party does not make any distinction, it attacks everyone who disagrees with it," he said.

He commended work done by the army and police force. 

On the hospital’s concession agreement, Delia once again called out government over the “criminal deal”, made worse by a clause which requires government to fork out a €100 million fine should it choose to rescind. 

“Instead of being given the 900 hospital beds as promised, the government is fretting over the possibility of not having enough beds to the point that it wants to build a prefabricated hospital,” he said. 

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