The Leader of the Partit Nazzjonalista, Bernard Grech, said that Ministers Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri should start by returning the money stolen through the fraud they committed.
He made this statement during an interview with Saviour Balzan on the programme Xtra on TVM, where they discussed the case involving Minister Bartolo’s partner (now his wife), who had been given a ‘phantom’ consultancy role with a salary of nearly €70,000.
Bernard Grech recalled how, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Robert Abela had said that the fraud case was closed because he had dismissed Amanda Muscat.
Grech questioned why Abela had dismissed her if he truly believed, as he had claimed recently, that Amanda Muscat was doing her job.
“In reality,” Grech continued, “Robert Abela dismissed Amanda Muscat because he knew she was being paid for doing nothing. Therefore, he should take action against those who were paying her with public funds for no reason.”
Grech said that those responsible for the theft and fraud had no place in government and should resign. “If they don’t, Robert Abela is obliged to remove them,” he stated. However, he also pointed out that Abela is compromised, as he had said he was part of a “devil’s pact,” which prevents him from acting against those involved in these wrongdoings.
He also noted that the Partit Nazzjonalista was attracting new people, as well as individuals who had previously been distanced or sidelined, but were now coming back to share their ideas. “In this way,” Grech said, “the Partit Nazzjonalista can build a coalition with Maltese and Gozitans of goodwill who want to see a change in how things are done.”
When asked about the Party’s vision for the economy, Grech explained that the Partit Nazzjonalista has long advocated for investment in new economic sectors. He reminded listeners of the Party’s proposal to create a €1,000 million fund for economic transformation, which would help drive new sectors and evolve existing ones.
“This programme,” Grech explained, “would finance half of the capital investment of eligible enterprises that meet ESG (environmental, social, and good governance) criteria.”
Grech further added that by investing in new economic sectors that are not labour-intensive, Malta could address the challenges brought by excessive population growth.
“This would ensure that the economy continues to grow without the population continuing to explode,” he said. He concluded that a new Nationalist Government would reduce taxes for those investing to strengthen their companies, grow the Maltese economy, and leave more money in people’s hands.
Meanwhile, speaking on NET FM, PN MP Eve Borg Bonello called out the ‘two weights two measures’ that the Prime Minister, she said, used when it comes to Camilleri and Bartolo as opposed to others.
Borg Bonello said that, in the Labour Party, “you are rewarded for breaking the law, the country and for backing up your allies because it operates like a criminal organisation, like mafia.”
Borg Bonello questioned why the PM was not taking action against Bonello and Camilleri and whether “his hands were tied” for some unknown reason.
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