Franco Debono Slams Pre-Election Cheques: ‘Does This Happen In Other Civilised Countries?’
Former PN MP Franco Debono has hit out at the government for issuing €100 and €200 cheques to households right ahead of the general election.
“Everyone knows what I did when the PN slipped up in the past but let’s fast forward to today,” Debono said.
“While I’m glad to see families receiving €100 cheques and God bless them, this doesn’t just go against the spirit of all electoral laws in the civilised world but it’s as though we’re living 100 years ago, in an episode of the drama Leli ta’ Ħaż-Żgħir.”
“Do these sort of things happen in other civilised countries?”
Cheques, costed at €100 for workers and students and €200 for pensioners and people on social benefits, started arriving in people’s letterboxes today, 12 days before the general election.
They are intended to help households cope with the inflation of basic items in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the Labour Party clearly intends to make significant political mileage from literally putting money into everyone’s pockets a few days before the general election.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Finance Minister Clyde Caruana included their personal signatures on letters attached to the cheques, while Caruana recently published a professionally edited video showing the cheques being printed, packaged and distributed.
Abela referred to the cheques again at a political rally this evening and said they should be a key consideration for voters.
“Some [the PN] have called it a political gimmick so the choice on 26th March is whether these will be the last cheques you will receive or whether you’ll keep on receiving them every year.”
Have you received a cheque in the mail yet?
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