'We can win' - Alex Borg fires up PN in first Sunday speech to party

The Nationalist Party can “do the impossible” by winning if a snap election is called, Alex Borg said Sunday, in his first such address to PN members.

Speaking during a political activity in Gozo, Borg, who was elected as the PN’s new leader last week, said the party’s members had not only elected a PN leader and Opposition leader, but the future prime minister of Malta and Gozo.

Borg reminded supporters how Robert Abela said he could call an early election if there was a change in the Nationalist Party’s leadership, as the prime minister claimed that this leadership change would “destabilise the country.”

The new PN leader, however, hit back at the claim:

“You are the ones leading the country. You are going to announce an early election to cling to power, as your biggest fear is going up against a winning, united party,” Borg said.

“We can do the impossible, if there is an election in a month, or an election in six months, we are capable of winning,” Borg continued.

Borg said this is a crucial moment for the country, as people are thirsty for an alternative.

PN outreach

He said the PN under his leadership will be a party for all Maltese and Gozitans.

Borg said the PN will open its doors to all people of good will, and touched upon the need to reach out to all those who have been hurt by the party.

“Let us also help those genuine labourites hurt by their own party. We are the party of all Maltese and Gozitans,” Borg said.

Photo: PN.

Borg said one of his first meetings as PN leader was with his leadership rival, Adrian Delia. Borg beat Delia to the leadership by 44 votes, with Delia’s campaign team later questioning the validity of some of those votes.

The new PN leader said there is strength in unity, which can, in turn, lead to victory.

Borg said he wants to breathe new life into the party, once again giving the PN’s każini and sectional committees central roles in delivering the party’s message in Malta’s towns and villages.

The każini should be “open and commercialised” to maximise the party’s income, while sectional committees will take on a more political role, Borg said.

New party CEO

Making good on some of his campaign pledges, Borg said the party will soon be announcing the creation of new roles, including that of PN CEO.

He said the CEO will help bring the party out of its financial crisis.

A crowdfunding campaign will also be launched to help raise funds for the general election campaign.

Photo: PN.

He said the campaign will centre around raising funds from the many rather than the few.

Borg, who was born in Gozo, said the PN will be creating its first ever Gozo policy forum.

The forum, which will be chaired by Karl Buttigieg, will ensure that the PN’s policy will be formulated “by Gozitans, for Gozitans”.