Borg dares Abela to report fuel smuggler claim to police
PN pledges to scrap inheritance tax on family transfers
Opposition leader Alex Borg has challenged Prime Minister Robert Abela to file a police report after he claimed the person behind a PN proposal for an offshore fuel hub was “Malta’s biggest fuel smuggler”.
Speaking in Birkirkara on Wednesday, Borg denied Abela’s allegation about the main financial backer of the Nationalist Party’s proposal to set up a fixed offshore refuelling hub off Hurd’s Bank.
“I categorically deny these allegations,” Borg said.
He then turned his criticism towards the government, saying: “The country knows that in the last 13 years, ministers have consulted criminals. I will not consult with criminals, but I will consult with Malta and Gozo”.
Borg described Abela’s allegation as an “attack” and said he was “irresponsible” to make such claims during an election campaign, especially since the prime minister had not presented any evidence to back it up.
“Please go to the police and open a report. I am not scared,” Borg said, challenging Abela to take his claims to the authorities.
Borg also referred to the Malta Maritime Forum’s endorsement of the PN proposal, saying the organisation had described it as what the sector needed. Borg described the proposal as a “golden ticket”.
Earlier on Wednesday, Abela claimed that the financial backer of the PN proposal was “Malta’s biggest fuel smuggler”.
The prime minister made the claim while speaking to journalists during a press conference about a €150 million factory in Ħal Far. He told the press that the same “wise guy” had approached him with an identical project, but that he, on the other hand, had dismissed it.
New tax proposals
During Wednesday evening’s rally, Borg also announced three proposals related to the succession tax.
He said that if a Nationalist government were elected, every inheritance transfer would not be taxed.
“Nothing - zero - that's our commitment to those families to give them a chance in life and take the pressure off them,” Borg said.
He also pledged to remove the succession tax on family businesses and to eliminate the tax on the donation of immovable property.
“Our heart is with families,” Borg said.
The Birkirkara rally was attended by several senior PN figures, including former party leaders Adrian Delia, who is running in the district, and Bernard Grech.
There were also several references to the former PN leader and proud Karkariz, Eddie Fenech Adami.