Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/825117
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 17 MAY 2017 5 News KANDIDAT FUQ 9 DISTRETT HAL GHARGHUR, L-IMSIDA, IS-SWATAR, SAN GWANN KAPPARA, IS-SWIEQI, MADLIENA, TA' XBIEX . 10 DISTRETT IL-GZIRA, IN-NAXXAR (PARTI MINN), BAHAR IC-CAGHAQ PEMBROKE, SAN GILJAN, PACEVILLE, TAS-SLIEMA . . . . Muscat says PN costings on taxation proposals 'hilarious' THE Nationalist Party's pro- posals on taxation, includ- ing reducing income tax to 10% for people who earn less than €20,000, were once again miscalculated and the real costings would prove hi- larious, once revealed, prime minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday evening. The Labour Party leader, who was addressing a public meeting in Qawra, said that the party was going through the numbers presented by opposition leader Simon Bu- suttil earlier in the day, and that it was obvious that the PN's miscalculations this time would prove "hilari- ous". He once again reiterated his vow to resign immediate- ly if the inquiring magistrate leading an investigation into allegations that he (Muscat) or his wife owned shares in any secrets company found any hint of evidence proving the claims. "I am convinced of what I am saying because I know I am saying the truth, since no one would risk his political career if he had any doubts," Muscat said. "But, with the same measure, opposition leader Simon Busuttil should not continue to say that he did not say this or that, be- cause everybody heard what he said." The prime minister said that everyone heard Busuttil claim that "we have learned that the secret Panama com- pany Egrant belongs to the wife of the prime minister". "So now if these allegations are found to be nothing but false and a lie, you will have to leave," he insisted. "Be a man and, if proven to have lied, shoulder your responsi- bility and leave immediately, whenever it happens, and whatever your position." Muscat said he was aware that the Labour Party had made some mistakes in the past four years but insisted that, faced with the alterna- tive leadership of Busuttil and Democratic Party leader Marlene Farrugia, people should choose to give the government another chance to prove it had learned from its its mistakes. "Give us another to chance to prove how much good we can still for our youth, our pensioners, our workers and all other segments of soci- ety," he urged party support- ers. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat with his wife Michelle at yesterday's rally in Qawra Muscat wants consultation on recreational cannabis by end of year TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister and Labour leader Joseph Muscat yester- day said he plans to launch a public consultation on recrea- tional marijuana by the end of 2017, and re-confirmed that he personally agrees it should be introduced. Responding to questions from the media at the end of a press conference in Mtarfa, Muscat also said that, if La- bour wins the election, then same-sex marriage will be introduced before Parliament breaks for the summer recess. Muscat, who has pledged a "leap forward" in progressive civil liberties, played down the PN's pledge to introduce same-sex marriage, arguing that the party is not credible in that regard. "Civil liberties are not an auction, but an issue of cred- ibility and the Opposition had taken a position of conveni- ence by abstaining against civil unions three years ago," he said. Muscat was also asked by MaltaToday why Labour is only fielding 11 women candi- dates in this election, despite his frequent calls for parlia- mentary gender quotas. He responded that the party is always searching for more women but that the 11 ap- proved candidates are all "women of quality", and re- iterated that he will push for parliamentary gender quotas to be introduced before the next election in four or five years' time. Muscat also dismissed con- cerns that his plans to re- move parliamentary immu- nity from MPs will amount to muzzling them from speaking in Parliament about wrongdo- ing. "This isn't an issue of muz- zling, but that people must shoulder responsibility for what they say," he said. "No other Prime Minister in Mal- ta's history has taken so much action against his team as I have, but people who pass allegations must be held re- sponsible for those allegations too – as Simon Busuttil must be held responsible for his lie about Egrant belonging to my wife."