Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was “insulting Maltese culture” by moving 74 monti stalls to Ordnance Street, Valletta, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday.
“As an Opposition, we will fight against the government every time it tries to belittle or insult our culture,” he said in an interview on Nationalist Party television station Net TV.
The government has come under fire from the cultural community in recent weeks, with many hitting out at the plans to move the monti from Merchants Street to an area beside the new Renzo Piano parliament building.
Dr Busuttil said Dr Muscat had made a deal with monti hawkers, who promised to vote for Labour in the last general election as long as their stalls were moved next to the City Gate project.
“The government wants to insult the project and Maltese culture with this decision. It is clear that Joseph Muscat chose votes over our culture,” he said.
Dr Busuttil said that, unlike the current administration, the Nationalist party would treat culture as a primary policy matter. “Just like education, health and employment, culture is essential for the Nationalist Party. It is who we are as a people. If you are negligent towards culture then, soon, you won’t be able to recognise yourself,” he said.
On Saturday, Dr Busuttil described the monti plan as “mediocre”, saying Dr Muscat’s refusal to reverse the decision showed he was a hostage to the promises made in exchange for hawkers’ votes. He said that during today’s parliamentary debate on fuel prices, which the Opposition demanded, he would be reiterating his call for a substantial and immediate reduction in the price of diesel and petrol.
We will fight against the government every time it tries to belittle or insult our culture
Last week, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi announced a 4c reduction in the prices, adding that new hedging agreements would see regular price cuts. Dr Busuttil insisted, however, this had only been done because of the pressure applied by the Opposition.
“The reduction in fuel prices just goes to show that we are being an effective Opposition. We have made a difference in the removal of [former minister] Manuel Mallia, a review of the citizenship for cash issue, the local council elections and, now, even on fuel prices,” he said.
Turning to last week’s decision by the Constitutional Court to award the PN two more parliamentary seats due to an error during the counting process, Dr Busuttil said the government was purposely dragging its feet. In doing so, he added, the government was disrespecting the votes cast that had not been properly counted during the election process.