When Adrian Delia addressed his first mass meeting as PN leader last week, he sent out a fiery salvo to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, warning him he is “not afraid” of meeting him face to face.

Yet it was a much more demurred Delia who met Muscat at the Labour Party’s headquarters this evening – with the two seeming more like old school friends than political rivals. 

Flanked by PN Whip David Agius and MP and loyal supporter Clyde Puli, Delia strode into Muscat’s office with the press already waiting for him. The two shook hands and smiled at each other, and Muscat passed a cheeky joke: “This is the first time we’ve ever met face to face, but we both went to St Aloysius so we already have something in common.”

Delia’s opening statement to the press was brief and light, saying the PN and PL headquarters were a stone’s throw away from each other. 

“Hopefully we’ll get closer in the way we work together for the good of the country,” he said. “The Opposition is ready to work with the government where it’s doing well, but be firm when it disagrees with it.”

“Hopefully we’ll get closer in the way we work together for the good of the country”

Adrian Delia on Joseph Muscat

Muscat’s opening remark was longer and more eloquent but essentially reflected the same sentiment.

“There shouldn’t be too many things that divide us. I’m sure we will have differing opinions on points of principle but my plan is to at least have some understanding with the Opposition on where we agree and where we disagree,” he said. 

Lovin Malta and MaltaToday then shot questions at Delia about his relationship with Muscat, and the PN leader’s answer could hardly have been more different than one his predecessor Simon Busuttil would have given.

“There shouldn’t be many things that divide us.”

Joseph Muscat on Adrian Delia

“I dont know [Muscat] yet, so I certainly want to build a better relationship with him than I have now,” Delia said. “Like myself, Muscat was new to politics when he was elected leader of Labour and since then he has done a lot to both his party and the country.”

“We will have differing opinions on issues and points of principle, but I am determined that the one winner out of this will be Malta.”

Will Adrian Delia be a better PN leader than Simon Busuttil? Let us know in the comments section

READ NEXT: PN’s Adrian Delia: ‘I’m proud not to be a politician’

Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]