Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/213780
3 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2013 'We are prepared to stand in judgement before the people' – Joseph Muscat MIRIAM DALLI MIRIAM DALLI Prime Minister Joseph Muscat: "If Simon Busuttil wants to call me a 'salesman', then so be it" initiative would render. 28,000 people crossed to Gozo – doubling last year's amount during the same weekend. And, in three years, it meant more than the average crossings during the Santa Marija weekend. Turning to the health report penned by former Nationalist minister John Dalli, Muscat said the Opposition, failing to find anything to criticise in the report, had turned its guns on the author of the report. "When you find nothing to say, you shoot the messenger," Muscat said. On the party financing law, Muscat said it was a "conscious decision" to hold back from implementing it. "We are giving the Opposition a chance to get back on its feet. We don't want to be accused of some sort of vindictive agenda. Our work is ready and if the Opposition wants to start discussing it tomorrow, I have no problem with that," he said. Ridiculing the claim that the Australia Hall property was worth €10 million, Muscat said the Lands Department had originally instituted the court case in 2010 after becoming aware that the PL was about to sign an agreement and solve the issue. "The court case had been instituted on the eve of the signing of the agreement. That is what political vindictiveness is all about," he said. At one point, the Opposition MPs accused the Labour MPs of being "thieves", prompting backbencher Joe Debono Grech to ask them to withdraw the claim. But the deputy speaker said the comments had not been recorded – given that the mics were off. Like Busuttil's, Muscat's speech was marked by heated shouting from both sides of the House, and an argument flared between Beppe Fenech Adami and Labour MP Michael Falzon. The two began to squabble over amendments to the electoral law, with Fenech Adami saying the government never approached the Opposition to discuss proposals to amend the electoral law "but to postpone local council elections". Fenech Adami said the government had suggested that no local council elections should be held during this legislature due to ongoing preparations for the EU presidency and other events. "And the Opposition deems it unacceptable that no local council elections are held. No discussions were ever made on the electoral law, be they formal or informal," the Nationalist MP said. Falzon, partly confirming what Fenech Adami said, noted that despite having gone back to Fenech Adami with a second proposal, no feedback had been given. IN a speech marked by shouting from both sides of the House, with asides between the two leaders, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil reiterated his call for consensus to be reached on the citizenship scheme. The House yesterday evening debated the financial estimates of the Office of the Prime Minister. During his intervention, Busuttil described the local and international reaction to the government's scheme to sell passports as "phenomenally negative". "The phenomenally negative reaction was not limited to our shores. International headlines described the citizenship scheme as scandalous. Our country was ridiculed," he said. "The government must now address the damage our country's reputation has suffered... even at EU level. This scheme should be stopped and reviewed." The Opposition leader argued that even though a country was sovereign over citizenship issues, yet the damage to the country's reputation had been too much. Busuttil insisted that despite the Opposition being against the scheme "on principle", it remained determined to reach a consensus or compromise. "Such an issue needs consensus from both sides. Citizenship has constitutional implications, even though it is regulated by law. But the concept is still constitutional and this alone requires consensus," Busuttil said. While welcoming the government's U-turn on the secrecy clause, the PN leader said this still required amendments to the law. "A simple amendment to the legal notice is not enough. This requires a change in the law or else it would create a conflict in the legal provision," he said. Simon Busuttil on the Individual Investor Programme: "The government must now address the damage our country's reputation has suffered... even at EU level" He insisted that the Nationalist Opposition was extending its "hand of cooperation", hoping that consensus would be reached on the scheme. Busuttil said the Opposition was also ready to seek consensus on public holidays, welcoming President George Abela's proposal to have Independence Day and Republic Day as Malta's twin national days. "Another case we wish to reach consensus on is the party financing law. But at the same time, how can government expect our cooperation when it carries out obscenities such as passing land to the Labour Party?" Busuttil said. He noted that it had been very easy for the Prime Minister to cede the case against the political party. "Joseph Muscat vs Joseph Muscat. It wasn't so difficult for you to cede the case, wasn't it?" Busuttil told Muscat. He also set much store in criticising the leadership of the civil service, following the appointment of Mario Cutajar as principal permanent secretary and head of civil services. Busuttil said that while he had nothing against Cutajar having been a Labour activist, yet the appointment contrasted with previous administrations' decisions to keep the civil service devoid of politi- cal allegiances. "The civil service was traditionally headed by neutral persons. And eight months later we see the result of this decision: persons who are preferred over others, just because they are close to the leadership. Even Labourites are suffering as a result of this," he said. Busuttil went on to express solidarity with civil workers who were being discriminated against. Turning to the economy, the Opposition leader said that the European Commission's reaction to government's draft budgetary plan had been in sync with the Opposition's reaction. According to the Commission, there was a risk that the draft budgetary plan would not fulfill the recommendations of the excessive deficit procedure. It also noted that the plan presented did not specify in detail the measures that underpin the measures for 2014, thus not complying with obligations of EU law. "This is serious because the Commission's report is different from what government told this House. And it confirms our assertion of a dishonest budget: how much will the measures cost and who will pay for them?" Celebrating the European Year of Citizens 2013 CITIZENS' FAIR The Palace - Valletta 23 November from 9:00 to 13:30 This event will include a Citizens' Parliament with MPs and MEPs, EU info points, Kids' area, and visits to the State Rooms, the Chamber of the House of Representatives and the Rooms of the Parliamentary Committees. Financed by the European Union under the Management Partnership PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION THE Prime Minister is ready for the public's verdict on the citizenship scheme if consensus is not reached in parliament over the Individual Investor Programme. Speaking in parliament yesterday evening, Joseph Muscat said he wanted to allow more time for discussion on the controversial citizenship scheme. "Let us find a balance, but let our discussions be guided by consultants. If a solution is reached, then it would be reached. If not, and if we see that we need to further discuss the issue with the public, then we will listen to the people," he said. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil suggested that a failure to change the citizenship scheme would see the PN seeking a national alliance for an abrogative referendum. Muscat however urged the House to reach a consensus. In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said it welcomed the prime minister's call for a consensus following its leader's appeal, expressing its availability for this consensus "to be reached in the coming days". "The Opposition is ready to discuss amendments to the citizenship law, as long as the proposed changes do not include the selling of citizenship. The scheme should be tied to commitments for real investment to create work and a period of residence," the PN said. It added that common sense should prevail while the national interest and the will of the people should be respected. Turning to the budget, Muscat said that the Opposition was "lost for words". "The main point is that people are aware that we implement what we promise," he said. "The Opposition's agenda is very clear. And Simon speaks very loudly: the PN wants people to forget about the budget." According to Muscat, the Opposition MPs wanted to speak on other issues which had nothing to do with the budget. "We have heard nothing about our decision to increase stipends. And the Opposition, day after day, is voting against this point. It is voting against free childcare centres for everyone." He went on to list a number of positive measures in the budget which affected workers, families, youth and the elderly "which the Opposition was voting against". Revealing his vision for the future, Muscat said his priority was to attract foreign investment to generate works and create jobs. "If he [Busuttil] wants to call me a salesman, then so be it. Because what I will certainly not do is sit down and do nothing," he said. He insisted that the government was "innovative" and, like the European Commission said, more new workplaces were built and more will be generated next year. Muscat said he was "amazed" by how innovative ideas could still lead to criticism: "We decided that the best way to boost the economy in Gozo was to do something special. So we did something unprecedented and let people cross for free. And then they complained that this was only possible thanks to taxpayers' money. Isn't Notte Bianca financed in the same way?" he said. Muscat said the issue was not about how much government was spending, but how much such an Citizenship has 'constitutional implications', consensus is required – Busuttil