[WATCH] Bernard Grech: PN remains ‘underdog’ as it does not squander taxpayer money

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the Nationalist Party remains the “underdog” because it can’t squander taxpayer money like the government.

Grech said the Labour Party, unlike the PN, does not have the public’s interest at heart, and chooses to focus on the price one has rather than their value.

Addressing a political event in Santa Lucija, Grech also slammed government for “drying up the country’s savings” and failing to attract new investments into the country.

“Rather than blaming the pandemic or the Opposition, he should reflect on his own bad decisions which include spending more on corrupt contracts and making it impossible for small businesses to operate,” Grech said.

“Robert Abela today began a desperate new narrative of blaming his economic incompetence on the Opposition, after nine years of a Labour government.”

The PN leader also accused the PM and government of “lying”.

“He [Robert Abela] lied when he said PN wants to prevent Malta from getting EU funds for the gas pipeline, when it was PN that fought for this project, together with all EU funds enjoyed by Malta since 2004,” Grech said.

In his speech on Sunday, Abela accused the PN of attempting to “stagnate the economy” through their 12 anti-corruption Bills. Grech said the PN seeks to strengthen the country’s good governance, while accusing government of delaying the discussions out of “fear”.

“He lied when he said PN wants to label Malta a mafia state or wants to ban the use of WhatsApp, which showed he has no interest in a serious debate on the 12 Bills to fight corruption,” Abela said.

On COVID-19 measures, Grech acknowledged that while it is important for people to take the booster vaccine, he is aware that there are individuals who are fearful, and those who cannot receive the jab for medical reasons and emphasized that they should not be discriminated against.

The PN recently came out against COVID-19 restrictions, calling on government to scrap coronavirus measures making certain establishments accessible only to people with a valid vaccine certificate.

“He lied when he said PN did not want a return to normality, when PN is demanding the withdrawal of measures that Abela himself admits are no longer needed,” Grech said. “They do not know what they’re doing.”

The PN leader said Abela is not up for the job. “His speech confirms that while everyone around him is realising he is not up for the job, the only thing he can do is resort to cruel personal attacks, including attacks on the institutions he should be defending.”