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3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 FEBRUARY 2022 NEWS ELECTION 2022 PN pledges grants, tax exemption for parents of children participating in sports, art activities 'They made my life hell' - Mario Galea speaks out after withdrawing PN candidature LUKE VELLA THE Nationalist Party is pledg- ing an annual €300 grant to par- ents of students under the age of 18 who take part in extracur- ricular activities, Bernard Grech said on Tuesday. The party is also proposing schemes that enable parents to have private school and extra- curricular fees deducted from their taxable income. The grants will apply for pro- grammes delivered by registered associations in sports, perform- ing arts, culture and arts. Grech announced the schemes during an interview on NET TV, for which the media was not in- vited. "Through these measures we will help everyone succeed and reach their potential: from the most ambitious to the most vul- nerable," Grech said. Grech also reiterated the meas- ure to reduce the income tax to 5% for the first €18,000 made by coaches, players and artists. Candidate withdrawals The PN leader said the deci- sion by four MPs not to contest March's general election was part of a regeneration effort within the party. "The new faces are testimo- ny to the regeneration that has been ongoing for a while. We have an injection of youths and people with energy and enthu- siasm. I want to have a regener- ated party but I want to use the experience of those that can still contribute to the party. There are those not contesting, not because of issues with the party but because the time had come to make way for others," Grech said. The reference was to Clau- dio Grech, Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono and Mario Galea, who on Monday announced that they will step aside. However, on Tuesday, Galea had a different story to tell about his withdrawal from the election race. "They made my life hell," he told MaltaToday. The PN leader said he wanted to give space to everyone. He said he was on his way to a meet- ing with Claudio Grech. "Claudio is still on board, as he still has a lot to offer to the par- ty but in a different role," Grech said, without saying a word about Galea's claims. Grech had told MaltaToday that if Galea produced proof that somebody within the party taunted him about his mental health, he will dismiss them on the spot. During his NET TV interview, Grech touched on the rising cost of living, for which he said, the government has no solutions. He mentioned the PN's measure to set up a €40 million fund for Maltese businesses and SMEs, who face rising logistic costs. "PN had a vision for Malta to join the EU but right now we are not reaping all the benefits, as suppliers face rising shipping costs due to the fact that we are an island." In his closing remarks, Grech stressed on the improtance of empathy in politics and said Malta requires a prime minister who understands the difficulties of people. "That is why a Nationalist gov- ernment will be with you for a better life." CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 He was reacting to a sugges- tion by Grech yesterday evening in Valletta that the decision by four MPs to step aside and make way for new blood in the party was borne out of persuasion and consensus. "It's not true he told us to re- sign. I had already prepared my campaign. I took photos at my district and had already begun home visits," he told MaltaTo- day when contacted on Tuesday morning. On Monday, three nationalist MPs – Kristy Debono, Clyde Pu- li and Mario Galea – announced they would not be contesting the general election. Later in the evening, Claudio Grech al- so announced he would not be contesting, during a PN event in St George's Square Valletta that was addressed by Bernard Grech. Bernard Grech said Claudio's decision was borne out of per- suasion that the PN needed to regenerate itself. The PN leader made a brief mention of the ear- lier resignations, insisting that even Puli, Galea and Debono un- derstood the need for regenera- tion within the party. But Galea has rejected Grech's claims. "It's completely not true," he told MaltaToday. "On Sunday evening, I received calls from the party headquar- ters to attend the press confer- ence on Monday." Asked for the reason behind his decision to withdraw his can- didature, Galea said people close to the party leadership made his life "hell". "I was made a disposable com- modity... People close to the leadership also called out my mental health," Galea said. He said Bernard Grech had re- cently even asked him whether he was doing home visits. Galea said he had already participated in party photoshoots and inter- views, signalling his intention to contest. "I was actively campaigning, but now it's too much, and I felt I needed to get out," he said. Galea, 59, was elected for the first time to parliament in 1992 on the 3rd District, which com- prises his hometown Żejtun. In 1996 he failed to retain his seat but was elected again in 1998 and every other election after that. Bernard Grech reacts Reacting to Galea's comments, PN leader Bernard Grech said should Mario Galea show him "one single proof" that anyone from his team taunted him with his medical condition, he will sack them "immediately". "Furthermore I have to clarify that Mario never complained to me about any specific incident," Grech told MaltaToday. He said his focus is on regen- erating the party. "I never asked anyone to step down but I made it clear to all that we need to encourage a new generation at PN." From left: Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono and Claudio Grech Bernard Grech