Take the PN with a "bucket – not a pinch – of salt", especially after its U-turn on the Gozo-Malta tunnel, Joseph Muscat told supporters on Saturday.
The Nationalist Party had promised to support the tunnel twice and backed the construction of a permanent link in Parliament last month, but it was now getting cold feet, he said in Xagħra.
The Labour leader said the PN had proposed the tunnel while in government in 2012, before carrying out any studies before promising the tunnel during the 2013 and 2017 election campaigns.
Following Labour’s election to government in 2013, former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil had even accused the Labour government of dragging its feet over the link, as feasibility studies were being carried out.
Labour promised the tunnel in 2017, and all three parties in Parliament gave unanimous support to the link last month.
“But during the televised debate on Thursday night, Opposition leader Adrian Delia expressed concern over the tunnel and said we should carry out studies and hold a consultation before we decide on whether to go ahead with the project," Dr Muscat said.
“While the Opposition came up with the idea, promised it twice, and agreed with it in parliament, it was now against its construction. We promised it once and we will build it.”
This was a lesson for the Gozitans who should acknowledge that the PL was the only party that took them seriously, he added.
“However, the biggest lesson for all Gozitans and Maltese is that PN will not implement whatever they promise. All they care about is getting your vote.”
Dr Muscat said he looked forward to the electorate’s judgment during the MEP and council elections on May 25, however, he warned party supporters to remain grounded and ignore those who said this was going to be an easy win for Labour.
During the launch of the PL candidates, Dr Muscat warned about the "PN's strategy" to field few candidates - a tactic that would have undermined 10,000 voters in Gozo.
No reaction to 'rubbish' criticism
In Xagħra, the Prime Minister made no reference to the reactions sparked after Thursday's televised debate with the PN leader during which he said he would rather see foreigners, rather than Maltese, carry out certain non-skilled jobs, such as picking up rubbish or doing manual labour out in the sun.
The statement came under criticism by several, including left-wing activists Moviment Graffitti who said that the “classist and racist” rhetoric ran directly counter to socialism.
However, addressing the same Xagħra audience, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said that while the PN wanted foreigners to occupy the highest posts, the PL wanted the Maltese to have high-skilled posts, while the foreigners filled positions that the Maltese did not want to or did not have the right skills for.
Meanwile, as the PN wanted Malta to become a hub for illegal migration in the Mediterranean, the PL had shown its belief in relocation, repatriation and burden sharing, he claimed.