Nationalist Party MEPs will do whatever the "Brussels establishment" tells them to do, while Labour deputies will act in Malta's national interest, Robert Abela said on Saturday.  

"If the Brussels establishment wants to direct its focus on arms, then the PN will be in favour. And if the Brussels establishment wants Europe to break farmers with prices, then the Nationalists will also support that," the prime minister said.

The PN will even support a common taxation policy, even if that is against Malta's national interest, Abela told a crowd gathered in Nadur, Gozo. 

Abela claimed PN MEPs are ready to forget Malta's interests to advance their personal careers, in another veiled attack on European Parliament president and PN MEP Roberta Metsola.  

On the other hand, PL MEPs will fight for Malta and work towards peace in Europe. 

Abela expressed confidence that the government will be able to strike an agreement with the Malta Union of Teachers over ongoing collective agreement negotiations. 

He said teachers were told "untruths" in the last hours, adding that teachers will receive an "unprecedented" pay rise once the collective agreement is signed. 

"We completed many collective agreements, and found agreement with every union. There is no reason why we will not agree with them (Malta Union of Teachers) as well," he said. 

Abela said the government is prepared to increase teachers' salaries "with pleasure" because it believes in education and educators.