WATCH: Adrian Delia Rejects Prime Minister’s Claim That ‘People Voted Against MEPs Working Against Malta’
Opposition leader Adrian Delia has dismissed Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s cry that the PL’s colossal European Parliament election victory was a sign that the public doesn’t want MEPs who work against Malta.
In comments to the press, Delia noted that Roberta Metsola and David Casa, the two MEPs who the PL has often accused of working against Malta appear to be the favourites for reelection.
“I cannot agree with Joseph Muscat’s assessment because it seems as though the bulk of the PN’s votes went towards the candidates who he had indicated were working against Malta,” he said.
Delia vehemently denied suggestions that he had displayed favouritism to certain MEP candidates throughout the campaign.
“Our campaign wasn’t based on a single person but on ten candidates, each of whom had their own field of expertise, such as the environment, health and justice,” he said. “We then left it to the people to choose between them. I absolutely disagree that the party or myself gave candidates an unlevel playing field.”
The Opposition leader also confirmed he won’t be calling an internal confidence vote in his leadership, arguing that the party needs to consolidate and not undergo further internal elections.
“We must understand whether the people don’t want to hear our message or whether we aren’t managing to reach the people with our message,” he said. “The process of change has already started, in spite of all our financial an structure limitations. Our mandate started a year and a half ago and I was under no illusion that I’d be able to fulfil it within this time period. We have three years to go [till the general election] and we must do more than what we have done so far.”
“We believe in political responsibility but we need to see where responsibilities lie. This was indeed my first electoral test but I wasn’t given a blank exam sheet. I didn’t start from zero but from minus zero.”
He added that the PN must up its game in attracting youths to its cause.
“There are clear anti-establishment trends across the world,” he said. “Wemust be more energetic, more youthful and more open to ideas. I am committed to doing this without betraying our fundamental values.”
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