Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/429113
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2014 13 miserly €35 bonus," he explains. This time last year, the PN was busy opposing the citizenship for sale scheme, however since then the scheme has undergone multiple changes and the Opposition is no longer against the scheme. I ask him whether the monitoring committee he sits on has met and what results is the scheme produc- ing. Explaining that the committee has been convened just once, in October, Busuttil says that he was last informed that 173 applications had been sub- mitted, with around 100 coming from Russia. However, he adds that two things concern him. "Firstly, contrary to the government's promise, the secrecy clause has not been removed because the names of who is awarded a pass- port through the scheme will not be distinguished from others who are naturalised." The other matter of concern, he says, is the lack of enforcement on the requirement to reside in Malta for 12 months before being granted citizen- ship. I also bring up the illegal boathous- es issue. People are expecting a clear plan from a party aspiring to be in government in three years' time. So I ask Busuttil, what is his plan? "When the election comes, we'll make our position clear. There's no doubt about it. We'll have a clear po- sition on each issue. But we already have a clear position today. The gov- ernment is wrong in installing elec- tricity metres in illegal shacks, which is a move that is tantamount to regu- larising them." But what is the PN position? "Our position is very clear. Were I Prime Minister I wouldn't have pro- vided them with electricity." But if you were prime minister to- day would he pull them down? "The former PN government had a plan to rehabilitate the areas, which look like a slum, and build new units which would be open to all, not to those who stole the land. But we dragged our feet, which was a mistake and if we were in government today we would implement that plan." In a few months time the country will possibly be called to the polls to vote in the referendum on spring hunting. So far the PN has declined taking a clear position. Will you take a position or will you sit on the fence? "Firstly we must see whether the referendum will take place," he says adding that the government's am- biguous position and court proceed- ings meant that the referendum was all but secure. He says the PN's position on hunt- ing, allowing for a two week spring season with strict enforcement, did not please hunters and environmen- talists. "Hunters did not like it, as shown in the last election and neither did envi- ronmentalists but both are today say- ing that the PN's middle road would have been a better option than the current free for all, and whatever the referendum result is it will result in an extreme solution." I press him on whether the PN will take a stand. "If the referendum hap- pens we'll discuss it internally and decide on what stand to take," is his reply. Asked whether he was upset with the series of attacks on the personal lives of politicians, including minis- ters, he says "I hope you're not im- plying that the attacks were made by the PN. I dissociate myself from these personal attacks, although there's no need to dissociate myself because the attacks did not emanate from the party or myself. Perhaps the question should be addressed to the person behind the attacks," he says, adding that the party does not attack people personally unless their personal life is hindering them from carrying out their public duties appropriately. I also ask him whether he agreed with PN deputy leader Mario de Mar- co's assessment that the PN should maybe once again become a centre- left party. "The PN certainly has a social con- science. That's already our policy so there's no need to change. We are pro business in wanting to create wealth and we have a social conscience in wanting to distribute it justly." I ponder whether old and new scan- dals have resulted in people losing trust in the political class. "I'm also disappointed and I'm duty bound to expose the lies of the Prime Minister, such as the one on the government's €14 million pay- ment to Enemalta, which the Prime Minister claimed is an EU obligation. I believe politics must be based on honesty. Honesty is the best policy, I have nothing to hide and I am ready to admit past mistakes and shoulder responsibility even though I wasn't in government and we were voted out because we committed mistakes." "My commitment is to restore trust in politics. I want people to trust poli- ticians, that's my commitment." Interview PN leader Simon Busuttil on his desire to change the way politics is done in Malta and restore people's trust in the political class best policy