If there’s a party that’s credible on the environment, it’s the PN – Bernard Grech

Opposition leader Bernard Grech pledged to work in favour of the environment, stating that the Nationalist Party is more credible than the governing Labour Party on environmental matters.

“If there’s a party that’s credible on the environment, it’s the Nationalist Party – defintiely not the Labour Party,” he said during an interview on Sunday.

He added that a Nationalist government would not only try to take back public land, but would consider afforestation in the same areas.

Throughout the interview, Grech made several pledges that could help flesh out its eventual electoral manifesto.

Most notably, Grech pledged that a new PN government would extend paternal leave for fathers upon the birth of their children.

At present, new fathers are allocated only one day of paternal leave. However, an EU directive that came into force last year provides for paternal leave to increase to ten working days after the birth of their children.

The directive is yet to be transposed into Maltese law, but member states have until August 2022 to implement the directive into law.

“Part of our vision for the family is that every couple that welcomes a new baby is able to give their child the attention it needs,” Grech said.

Grech went on to mention cancer treatment. He mentioned a bilateral agreement in place with the UK whereby Maltese cancer patients can travel to the UK to receive care.

“Through the cross-border directive, I want similar agreements with other EU member states,” he said.

Grech added that a PN government would work to see professional groups represented directly in European fora, as opposed to having civil servants represent professionals during supranational talks.

“Our promise promise for you to be represented better and for our policy to be fully consultative, where we don’t decide from above and you carry the burden,” he said.

Voting choices

Grech added that the party is greatly renewing itself, and that a new Nationalist government would allow Malta to turn a new page politically.

“People have a choice between the politics of continuity, which led us into a disaster greylisting situation, or turning a new page with a new leader and government that says we deserve better,” he continued.

He mentioned that the current Labour administration carries a lot of baggage with it, while lacking the drive to tackle financial crime adequately.

"Today we know they don't have the possibility, capability, freedom to take action on the big fish. Who's suffering now? The small fish," he said.

Instead, he said that a Nationalist government would not stray from taking hard decisions to bring criminals to justice.