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MT 27 April 2014

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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 27 APRIL 2014 8 News Muscat says he will deliver promise on bird trapping MIRIAM DALLI THE Nationalist administration had failed to convince the Europe- an Union that Gozo should be rec- ognised as a region, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday. According to documentation which he waved in his hand, in Oc- tober 2012 the EU told the govern- ment that the argument brought forward to have Gozo recognised as a standalone region "was not satis- factory". "Simon Busuttil must shoulder the responsibility for the PN's failure to convince the EU that Gozo deserved more. And, because it was close to the election, the EU's decision was kept under wraps." The Prime Minister insisted that the Labour government will do his utmost to have Gozo recognised as a region. The Opposition has also pledged to use its MEPs to give Gozo special recognition. Addressing a political activity in Rabat, Gozo, Muscat said it was a "symbolic choice" of the Labour Party to launch its candidates in Gozo. Earlier in the day, the Prime Min- ister held a press conference at Fort Chambray during which he described the party's "strong and diverse group of candidates" as the best choice for the Maltese elector- ate. "Gozo is benefiting from this gov- ernment's work in ensuring that more activities are held. This has resulted in an increased number of tourists crossing to Gozo," he said. Muscat said that, under a Nation- alist administration, the number of unemployed in Gozo increased by 8% while during Labour's first year, 200 new jobs were registered. He reiterated that Gozo would have a new cruise liner terminal and studies were ongoing for an airstrip. Muscat also said that the National- ist administration had committed €16 million less than what actu- ally should have been allocated for Gozo. "And during our first year, we made sure that this is corrected," he said. Muscat said that negotiations were underway and in the coming days, the government would be an- nouncing a project that would be of benefit to both Maltese and Gozi- tans. He lambasted the PN leadership for "failing to take stands" on a number of issues, including spring hunting. "You know where you stand with us. We promised spring hunting and the season was opened. And like we promised the hunters, we will keep our promises with the trappers." Urging the Gozitans to vote for the Labour candidates, Muscat said the 2013 general elections result should not be an exception but should be a continuity. The event was also addressed by former parliamentary secretary Franco Mercieca, who was wel- comed by a standing ovation, and PL MEP candidate and Gozitan Clint Camilleri. In his first public address during a political activity since the Cabinet reshuffle, Mercieca paid tribute to the "good relationship" he and the Prime Minister enjoy. "I understand why the PN would choose to attack me, claiming I used to hold the Prime Minister hos- tage… what can they criticise about this Labour government? We had a positive budget and we are keeping our promises. Because they can't attack national policies, they turn their guns to the individuals," Mer- cieca said. He urged the electorate to vote for the Labour candidates because "they are the ones who will safeguard our national interest". Busuttil: 'Malta deserves better than Labour' DANIEL MIZZI OPPOSITION leader Simon Bu- suttil yesterday mounted a scathing attack on Labour leader and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, in a meet- ing held for party activists as part of the European Parliament election campaign. Addressing the PN councillors as the party's general council came to an end, Busuttil accused Labour of having deceived the electorate. "While the Labour Party has de- ceived the electorate by trying to im- plement measures behind people's back, the PN has always been faith- ful to its core values: humility, seri- ousness, and honesty," Busuttil said, whose party yesterday approved its manifesto for the EP campaign. "The PN does not sell its values," Busuttil said, claiming that the dif- ference between Labour and the PN was not even more pronounced. "Malta deserves better than the La- bour Party. Contrary to the Labour Party, the PN will not use the coun- try for its vote; it is there to serve, and not to exploit the people," he said. Busuttil said the PN wanted to take the country forward by respecting people's intelligence and winning over their hearts and minds, accusing Muscat of having deceived the elec- torate with its electoral promises. He insisted that it was the PN, which currently holds two seats out of six EP seats, that was the underdog in the elections. Busuttil has set his ambitions to win three seats in the elections, al- though this may not guarantee him a majority of votes. He lambasted the government for halting a cooperation agreement with private hospitals, saying that the past week's agreement with St James Hospital for free MRI scans meant that the government had "realised that the PN's politics were the best way forward." Busuttil even took Labour to task over its socialist credentials, claiming the party was discriminating against individuals. "Just like the government is opting to employ people from its inner circle and ignore soaring un- employment, the government is also discriminating in the health sector. It is obscene that the government is discriminating against those who are most vulnerable, just so it distributes medicines according to political alle- giance," he said. Busuttil took umbrage at what he claimed was the "incestuous" rela- tionship between the government and the Labour Party. "The Labour Party is now using the same billboards that were used by the government. Labour's MEP cam- paign is being funded by the taxpay- ers. Notwithstanding this abuse of laws, the government care less about this, and instead it is taking the law in its own hands." Taking exception at Joseph Mus- cat's claims that the Labour Party is an "underdog," Busuttil accused the prime minister of insulting the people's intelligence. "If the Labour Party is an underdog, then what is the Nationalist Party? This election is not about either party, but instead, it is an election to elect Malta's next MEPs," he said, contradicting his ini- tial claim at the start of the EP cam- paign that the election was about "sending Labour a message on its first year in government." He criticised the government for ignoring the rate of unemployment, and pumping public employment levels. "While Labour's inner circle are being employed within the civil service, the rest of the country is get- ting the short end of the stick," he said. Earlier on, PN deputy leader for parliamentary Mario de Marco called on party councillors to vest their trust in the party that had "im- plemented what we promised… the party that truly believed in the EU." "The European elections are an oc- casion for the country to vote for the party who has always worked for the EU and not for the party who was against it," de Marco said. The deputy leader also said that voters should show the Labour gov- ernment "a yellow card". "14 months into the government's legislature, Malta has not improved… by [Dom] Mintoff's own yardstick, that of judging the country by the amount of work created, Malta is no better off," de Marco said, referring to the late Labour prime minister. "While Europe weathered a finan- cial storm and the recession, Malta has registered a drop in exports, im- ports, industrial production. Jobs in the civil service have increased dras- tically to cater for the government's inner circle, while unemployment has increased to nearly 8,000." Prime Minister Joseph Muscat: "Like we promised the hunters, we will keep our promises with the trappers" Simon Busuttil: "The PN does not sell its values"

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