People worried about immigration were in Joseph Muscat’s sights yesterday as he continued to target pockets of disillusioned voters ahead of the European Parliament elections.

Speaking under a tent in Mosta, the Prime Minister said voters disillusioned by Europe’s lack of action on illegal migration should vote for the Labour Party, which meant a vote for Martin Schulz, the Socialist candidate for European Commission president.

“If you want Europe to do something about immigration you must not stay at home because there is a clear choice in Martin Schulz,” Dr Muscat said.

Mr Schulz, who was on the campaign trail in Malta on Saturday, spelt out his vision on migration, which called for legal channels of migration to be created in countries of origin.

We started running from day one

In this way migrants would be able to apply to enter the EU and after a screening process they would be relocated among all countries of the bloc according to pre-established thresholds.

“The burden will not be shouldered only by Malta, Italy and Greece,” Dr Muscat said, adding such a strategy would eliminate the criminal networks that profited from illegal migration.

As he has done throughout the MEP election campaign, Dr Muscat acknowledged there were various pockets of people, including those who suffered injustices in the past and those on precarious work contracts, who felt that not enough was done to address their problems. “Just as we kept PN candidates – who gave a press conference in front of Labour HQ on Saturday – in mind and offered them biscuits, we won’t forgot you,” he said to rousing applause.

In a jibe towards Opposition leader Simon Busuttil’s interview with The Sunday Times of Malta, Dr Muscat insisted his government started running from its first day in office.

“We will not start running after two-and-a-half years like somebody else said he would, but we started running from day one... to ensure the country becomes the best in Europe, a country of the hard-working.” He insisted the government was committed to continue working for the good of the country and asked voters to give a clear message that the movement born last year was still going strong.

Dr Muscat started his speech by wishing all mothers well – yesterday was Mothers’ Day – with a particular mention of those expecting a baby for the first time after undergoing an IVF procedure at Mater Dei Hospital.

He thanked former health minister Godfrey Farrugia, who ensured the IVF clinic at the public hospital started operating last year.