PN leader says lawsuit to silence Azzopardi part of disinformation campaign
Unite and stand up to government that made mockery of people: Bernard Grech
The recent widespread disinformation campaign was not limited to spreading fake news but included attempts to silence media houses and politicians through lawsuits, Bernard Grech said on Sunday.
The Opposition leader was reacting to news that Jason Azzopardi is being sued by the former owner of Satabank over claims it should have never been given a license to operate.
Addressing party supporters on NET FM, Grech said that media houses were constantly facing threats by SLAPP suits “trying to shut the mouths of those who are not willing to bow their heads".
“This is a government that buys you with advertisements and controls what you say. And if you don’t comply, this government and its friends will shut your mouths with these lawsuits. This happened to MP Jason Azzopardi because he won’t be silent in the face of corruption,” he said.
Grech claimed that since the national broadcaster was also part of the disinformation campaign, Abela's administration was implicated in attempts to distort the truth, he said.
In order to restore the truth, it was necessary for the public to unite and stand up to a government that had made a mockery of people, he said.
'Our message is getting through'
Referring to recent survey results showing that the PN had managed to attract more voters and was making inroads into Labour’s strong majority, Grech said the party was making "small but important gains".
“This means our message is getting through to people and shows that we are getting stronger and making progress,” he said.
Grech said that the government was currently "driving with a puncture, and it is time to change the tyre".
"We need to bring about a change in our attitudes, in the way we treat each other, the way we think about life, the way we think about education and health. We need to start respecting each other," he said.
People's right to healthy life
He assured listeners that a PN government would prioritise people’s right to a healthy life and to enjoying public spaces.
Referring to Transport Malta's proposal for a yacht marina in Marsascala, he said that taking the sea away from the public so that it could simply be enjoyed by a few rich people was "unacceptable".