Labour leader Robert Abela warned supporters on Sunday that the party can expect politically motivated “attacks” from the PN as Malta enters the last two weeks of the election campaign.
Addressing a crowded and rowdy Labour rally under a marquee on the Floriana granaries, Abela said that with just two weeks left until Malta heads to the polls, he expected attacks from the desperate opposition.
“With just 13 days left, you can expect more attacks from those who are panicked. That is the old type of politics that the desperate resort to,” Abela said.
The Labour leader has in recent weeks referred to media reports and claims of wrongdoing by Labour politicians as “attacks” or “spin”.
Abela said that while the Nationalist Party had no choice but to lash out at Labour, he is instead focused on convincing the electorate of Labour’s policies.
“This is why I need you, each one of you. In the coming days, I need you to convince friends and family to vote for Labour. Convince at least one person each,” he said.
Energy levels were noticeably higher among the party faithful on Sunday.
Abela said the upcoming election is more important than those of the past.
The country, he said, is coming out of a pandemic and facing a newly emerging international crisis.
This, he said, was why experienced leadership is so important.
Abela said the Nationalist Opposition does not have Malta’s best interests at heart.
During this last legislature, the PN had either worked against positive reforms or only supported them half-heartedly.
“We never found them there when we were working to improve the country or defend it,” he said.
“For this alone, they should not be trusted by voters.”
The PL, Abela told supporters, had presented 1,000 planned and costed pledges, while the “incompetent PN” keep changing theirs.
“Can you imagine them leading the country during the pandemic, or during this new war in Ukraine?” He asked, prompting pantomime boos and jeers from the crowd of party supporters.
The next round of boos came when Abela mentioned former PN leader and prime minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Abela said PN leader Bernard Grech was reviving old proposals that would take the country back to the days of Gonzi.
Labour on the other hand is issuing tax refund cheques, the first of which will start arriving in the post on Monday.
If returned to government, Labour will issue more cheques and reform tax bands to put more money in people’s pockets, he said.
“The PN is telling us they want to make a new fund for pensions - this is another burden on businesses just coming out of the pandemic.”
“Their proposals have hidden terms and conditions that seem to never end,” Abela said.
The only terms and conditions for Labour’s pledges are one: to enjoy them, you must vote Labour on March 26, he said.