[WATCH] ‘I don’t think the PN will lose’, Delia says on election chances

PN leader Adrian Delia says next election will see people truly weighing the cost of Labour corruption and bad governance

Opposition Leader Adrian Delia
Opposition Leader Adrian Delia

Adrian Delia has said he believes the PN will win the next election, as more voters become disillusioned with the current administration.

In an interview on Net TV by Illum editor Albert Gauci Cunningham, Delia challenged the charge that he was failing to make headway as evidence by the polls, in spite of the numerous scandals which rocked the Labour government over the years.

Asked whether he would resign if the PN lost the next elections by 30,000 voters or more, Delia appeared optimistic.

“I don’t think we are going to lose. The country is going to go through great difficulty and will have to think of the future of our children. Now hard decisions have to be made, not just administration of the country. We are prepared to offer an alternative.” 

Delia said the electorate was passing through a transitionary phase, despite being manifestly unhappy at the scale of corruption in the Labour administration. “It is strange that despite the corruption little progress has been made,” Delia acknowledged. “Are the people happy with corruption? There is a transitory period for the opposition to rebuild its ties and support with the public. This doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.

Delia sharply criticised the government for failing to act on corruption, pointing out that Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi are still evading justice. “Mizzi and his friends robbed us, took our hospitals, our energy sources are paying for corruption, he employed people in the Tourism Ministry who shouldn’t be there, he dragged our reputation through the mud and justice must be done against him according to law.”

Asked about the PN’s dismal electoral record under his watch, he said it was strange to see three large majorities for a prime minister who didn’t complete two terms. “You have a situation where the excuse for everything, the surplus, which wasn’t sustainable as it was done by increasing the workforce – short termism – and everything else was swept under the carpet.”

During the COVID-19 crisis, the number of unemployed workers shot up by 22% to 11000, he said. “Then the Prime Minister in a surreal and insensitive manner suggested that everyone go back to work. Where, exactly?” Delia asked.

Delia once again pledged to scrap the Steward hospitals deal, and that he would tackle Malta’s straining road infrastructure by introducing a public transport system that works, as well as making Malta the world’s first carbon neutral country. “The choice will be clear,” he said.

Delia also skirted a question on receiving large donations from businessman Silvio Debono and others. “No contribution exceeded that laid down in the law. Not one single person, company or individual. The PN rigidly followed the party funding law… No the PN is not for sale and doesn’t sell its principles.”