Muscat at Labour headquarters amid growing expectation on possible MEP candidacy

Prime Minister Robert Abela and his predecessor Joseph Muscat were spotted at a Labour Party event on Friday amidst rumours the latter could contest the European elections.

The former PM could be spotted in the crowd as Abela delivered a speech at the opening of the event.

In a post uploaded to Facebook, former party secretary general Jason Micallef uploaded a photo of the two shaking hands during the event, captioning it with excerpts from the party’s official anthem.

On Friday morning, MaltaToday visited Muscat’s office in Pieta to ask him about his possible return to politics.

Muscat claimed that Manuel Cuschieri’s post caught him off guard. “This is not a decision that is to be taken in a small amount of time because of a few Facebook messages.”

While saying that his focus was “elsewhere” Muscat did not rule out the possibility. “I don’t exclude it like I do not exclude dying tonight,” he teased.

However, he added: “I cannot ignore the people.” A return to the European Parliament was “not a priority”, he said but something he “will think about.”

MaltaToday also asked whether anyone from Labour’s administration had approached him. “Many people have spoken to me,” he said but when pressed as to whether he was asked to contest the election, he refused to answer.

“I talk to the (Labour) administration and people within the party on a regular basis,” he said.

Reacting to Muscat’s comments while being interviewed by presenter Andrew Azzopardi in an interview which is set to be published on Saturday, Robert Abela said he will not stand in Joseph Muscat's way should the latter decide to contest next June's MEP election.

"If he decides to contest, why would I say no," Abela stated, citing Muscat's potential to increase Labour's electoral turnout.

Speaking during the event, Abela said members of the Labour Party have always been those people in society that stick their necks out for change.

This however comes at a price, Abela stated, noting that everyone who was actively involved in the PL has tasted pain and has had to fight an uphill battle.