Muscat shoots down media reports of ‘massive win’ by PL
Charlot Zahra
Labour leader Joseph Muscat shot down a report in a Sunday newspaper which claimed surveys from both the PL and the PN had shown that the PL was heading for a massive win.
“We did not have the same numbers that were mentioned. There are lies, there are damned lies and statistics,” Muscat told MediaToday journalist Julia Farrugia, during a one-to-one interview at Mtarfa yesterday evening.
“The ultimate aim is to have a different direction for the country, therefore this will be the first step towards that,” Muscat said to the applause of those present.
Muscat said that the ultimate aim of the PL was to win the general election in four years’ time.
He praised the Labour Party candidates who would be contesting the June 6 European Parliament elections, who, he said, represented the movement of progressives and moderates that the party wanted to
The Nationalist Party was now saying that they want to win five seats. “So the Labour Party supporters have to work even more to win the elections,” he insisted.
Pressed as to whether the Labour Party would win the EP elections, Muscat was cautious in his reply. The only survey that there is are the EP elections,” he insisted. “I will tell you about that later.”
“A signal must be given by those people who were fooled by Lawrence Gonzi’s Government, like hunters, bus drivers, workers at the Shipyards and GO,” he said to the applause of the supporters gathered in Mtarfa.
Asked about whether partnership had really won the referendum on Malta’s EU accession on 8 March 2003, as then Labour leader Alfred Sant had claimed, Muscat did not mince his words.
“No, partnership did not win in 2003. I have no regrets saying that we were wrong on that.
Asked about the libel case filed by Joe Perici Calascione against him, Muscat called on the candidate to publish the entire tape, not selected quotes.
Muscat also revealed that in the tape, there was also Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who spoke during the meeting.
Asked about the Labour Party’s position on divorce, Muscat reiterated his position of introducing a divorce bill in Parliament when a new Labour Government is elected, and offer a free vote to its MPs.
He called on PN leader Lawrence Gonzi to give a free vote to its parliamentarians when the divorce bill comes up in Parliament.
Pressed on Labour MEP candidate Claudette Abela Baldacchino’s request for a referendum on divorce, Muscat said:
“We should discuss the divorce bill in Parliament, but we might reconsider that if the PN does not give a free vote to its MPs about the bill”
During the same activity, Labour candidates for the EP elections Sharon Ellul Bonici, Edward Scicluna and Louis Grech.
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