WATCH | Quickfire Qs: Adrian Delia vs Alex Borg

Adrian Delia and Alex Borg are still being assessed by the Nationalist Party’s due diligence board before they can formally be declared candidates for the leadership contest.

Nonetheless, both have already kicked off their respective campaigns to try and win the hearts and minds of party members, who will eventually decide the contest.

Delia, a former leader ousted in an unsavoury coup in 2020, is attempting a comeback on the strength of his experience and what he has described as lessons learnt.

On the other hand, 30-year-old Borg, who was elected to parliament for the first time in 2022 on the back of an impressive performance in the Gozo district, is presenting himself as the youthful alternative.

So far, the PN’s electoral commission has barred the prospective candidates from sitting down together and debating each other. Alternatively, MaltaToday sat them down separately for a set of similar quickfire questions in a bid to get to know where they stand on certain issues.

Full interviews with Delia and Borg, in which we asked them more in-depth questions, will be published on Sunday 20 July.

QUICKFIRE

Are you prepared to declare the source of donations you received in your campaign for the leadership?

Adrian Delia (AD): Yes, and I wish everyone does the same, including when there is a Labour Party leadership election.

Alex Borg (AB): No problem.

To solve its debt problem, should the Nationalist Party sell the Dar Ċentrali (headquarters)?

AD: No, but it can rent it out—or parts of it, to be more precise.

AB: There are many measures that can be taken. That’s why I’ll be appointing an audit committee that will explore the best solutions for the PN.

Will you commit to publishing the party’s accounts in the first 100 days of being elected leader?

AD: Yes.

AB: Yes.

As leader of the Opposition, will you be declaring meetings you have with businesses and lobby groups?

AD: I have no problem in doing so.

AB: No problem at all. Yes.

If you win the leadership race, are you simply keeping the seat warm for Roberta Metsola until after the general election?

AD: Absolutely not. For no one.

AB: If I win [the leadership race], I’ll go into the election with a winning mentality to try and win it.

Would you be accepting the candidature of someone who agrees with the Nationalist Party’s policies, but is in favour of introducing abortion in Malta?

AD: The candidature is determined by the executive, and the party’s position on abortion is clear as day. The question should be whether that individual would be comfortable within the party.

AB: I’m open to everyone, but of course the party statute states that we are a party in favour of life from conception till death.

Should the government table its current euthanasia proposal as a bill in parliament, would you vote in favour?

AD: No.

AB: If the party members give me the trust to be the leader of the Nationalist Party… I believe I will be granting a free vote — a free vote for everyone — because this is a moral issue. But I repeat, let us not forget that we have a statute that state that we are in favour of life from conception to death… I know what my situation is but I don’t want to influence anything. If I become Opposition leader, I want to make sure everyone’s free to take a decision without me influencing that decision.

Should the gender corrective mechanism be kept?

AD: There is already a sunset clause, which means it will be eventually removed.

AB: I believe that today we have many highly capable women in the Maltese Parliament. However, I think that perhaps things could be changed in some way, because I believe that women are capable. Very capable... I believe that we shouldn’t remove it entirely, but rather modify it in such a way that still shows women the respect they deserve. I don’t believe women need help. Women are fully capable in their own right and don’t need legal assistance to get into parliament. Today, we have women who have succeeded not only on a local level but also internationally.

Do you agree with children being taught about different gender identities in school?

AD: Teaching is always a good thing.

AB: I believe it depends on their age. We need to give them time to understand the reality out there. When they reach the age when they can really understand the realities out there, I see no problem that they understand all the realities that exist in our society.

Should Malta close its doors to workers from outside the European Union?

AD: No, but it should limit the economy’s dependence on them.

AB: Today, of course, as we know, there are sectors that depend entirely on foreigners… So, saying “enough of foreigners” is impossible because the economy would collapse. However, we should find measures to incentivise more Maltese people to continue working in the trades. I believe the trade schools should reopen… but cutting out foreign workers entirely nowadays is not practical. The reality is that we have sectors that depend completely on them… but we should limit this where necessary and make use of the local workforce to keep these sectors running.

Do you commit yourself that if you are elected prime minister, development zones will not increase by one inch?

AD: Yes, and I believe the Nationalist Party has already declared this.

AB: If I become Prime Minister... I believe that today the local plans need to be revised, but when they are revised, it doesn't mean there will be regression, there will be sustainable progress. Meaning, you have to find localities where there can be open spaces and where we can have greenery. But at the same time, progress is essential, it just has to be sustainable progress.

Should the subsidies on electricity, water and fuel remain?

AD: For now, yes.

AB: In the present circumstances, yes; without subsidies the utility bills will start to rise. But I believe there are other alternatives through which bills can actually be reduced even more than they currently are and these would be long-term solutions. Subsidies are short term...

Which international leader do you feel closest to?

AD: There isn’t much to choose from right now, but if I can go back in time, it would be William Wallace, known as Brave Heart, who kept on fighting until death for liberty.

AB: Giorgia Meloni.

From 0 to 5, how much do you admire Donald Trump?

AD: 1, if it is the lowest.

AB: Nowadays, maybe 2 or 3.

What is the last book you read?

AD: Don’t laugh at me. Paddington in London with my son.

AB: Erm... one about Eddie Fenech Adami.

One word to describe your rival in this race.

AD on Alex: Hardworking.

AB on Adrian: Loyalty.