Lovin Malta interviewed Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat last week. In case you missed it, these were the highlights. 

1. He’s on a strict diet

The Prime Minister is currently on a strict diet regime where he’s cut out carbs and sugars though he still has cheat days every week. At least, that’s how he explains his weight loss over the past few months. 

2. Crumbling infrastructure is a good problem to have

He acknowledges that Malta’s infrastructure is “crumbling” but he thinks this is a “good problem to have” because it shows how much interest there is in the country. He also plans to focus on infrastructural changes in his second term as Prime Minister where people will be able to see “the country as it was and the country as it will become”.

3. The Budget will tackle rent prices

In the next Budget, the Government plans to look closely at the rental market to address the current difficulties facing especially young Maltese families in terms of affordable housing.

4. The next big industries for Malta are education, healthcare and logistics. 

5. He thinks there is a “disconnect” between the drug decriminalisation law and how the police are currently handling cannabis. 

He also believes that is due to the fact that policy decisions take long to percolate down.

6. He would rather the police focus on breathalyser tests and clamping down on irresponsible drivers. 

This is one area where he doesn’t exclude being draconian and getting tough on perpetrators to set examples. 

7. He thinks Boris Johnson is a “nice guy”

Boris Johnson is just a “nice guy” who is getting to grips with the real world. Joseph Muscat also thinks Prime Minister Theresa May was very smart in appointing him as Foreign Secretary.

8. He had lunch with British Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn – and they “basically disagree about everything”.

9. He would vote for Hillary Clinton but is not too worried about Donald Trump getting elected.

“I think the US is such a big democracy, such a solid country, that irrespective of who is president there will be repercussions, yes, but at the end of the day there will be a coming to terms with reality.”

10. He thinks the biggest change facing the world today is that credible world forces seeking balance in world affairs are fighting a radical enemy

He comments about how discourse won’t cut it when you’re “fighting a guy who is driving a truck down a boulevard in Nice and killing people”. 

Full 20-minute interview

You can also check out the full transcript here. 

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Chris Peregin

Christian is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who founded Lovin Malta, a new media company dedicated to creating positive impact in society. He is passionate about justice, public finances and finding ways to build a better future.