‘No place for hatred in Malta’ – Abela
While insisting that there is no place for hatred in society, Prime Minister Robert Abela said legislative changes alone cannot protect women and other people who feel vulnerable.
Without going into the specifics of the murder of a 29-year-old woman in Sliema on January 1, Abela said he was “disappointed and angry” as he urged everyone to act responsibly, including in social media interactions.
Speaking on the Labor Party’s radio station on Sunday morning, Abela said that although his administration had introduced legislative and administrative changes, “it does not mean anything if there is no change in culture.”
However, Abela said that the killings and the various hate speech cases do not reflect the values of the wider society, adding that “it is unacceptable that people do not feel safe because of sex, their sexual orientation, or their skin color. “
‘We failed to protect you’
Greeting Victor Calvagna, the Prime Minister said that his legacy could be kept alive by loving and respecting each other, especially in preparation for the upcoming election.
Pediatric cancer specialist and president of Puttinu Cares died earlier this week after seven days in the ITU after being hit by a car in Qawra.
‘Vaccines work’
Encouraging everyone to get the coronavirus jab booster, Abela said that vaccination protects the wider society from the virus, adding that once again Malta had a high rate of people receiving booster dose thanks to the handwork of the front workers.
“The vaccine is working, because the numbers are not going up,” said Abela, noting the low number of people in hospital and intensive care compared to last year when the vaccine was not yet available. was not available.
Abela added that this was instrumental in preventing the lockdown, as other countries have done in recent weeks.
“If the vaccination rate was not as high as it is, we would have no choice but to introduce stricter measures,” he said.
Pro-business government
On the economic situation, Abela said that his administration is still “pro-market” as he stressed the importance of supporting people and businesses.
He said that the post-Covid economic recovery could only be sustained through incentives such as wage supplements which were extended until the end of January and the subsidization of energy consumption in the light of ‘stratospheric’ increases in gas prices.
Investment can only grow by building confidence, Abela said, adding that “we are no longer trying to stay afloat but now we need to strengthen our position.”
However, Abela warned against people and businesses becoming dependent on state aid, adding that “we need to incentivize hard work,” and innovation.
Addressing the social partners directly, Abela called for flexibility and dialogue. He said “let’s sit around a table and find solutions together, and we want to emphasize the importance of the vaccination program” which the Prime Minister said was key to getting back to normal.
Abela devoted the majority of his interview to highlighting his administration’s fiscal incentives and social programs, stressing that they “improved people’s quality of life.”
Abela accuses PN leader of being ‘irresponsible’
Asked about the draft Opposition Bill which aims to turn the recommendations of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s inquiry into law, Abela said “I do not want to waste time talking about the head of the Opposition, but he must concentrate on his own party. ”
Accusing PN leader Bernard Grech of being “childish” and “irresponsible”, Abela said the Leader of the Opposition should first deal with “massive tax evasion” by the Opposition Deputy. David Thake before talking about the rule of law.
“It’s clear who can make decisions and who can’t,” Abela said, reiterating his administration’s careful handling of the Covid pandemic.
PN unveils ‘unprecedented’ bills introducing corruption, mafia association
Abela said the biggest change came in his government’s leadership by example, as he listed a number of legislative changes that have taken place since he was elected prime minister in 2020, including the strengthening of judicial and state institutions.
Accusing Grech of being “childish,” Abela claimed that the Opposition had tried to envisage legislative changes to strengthen the media that the government would reveal in the coming days.
The Prime Minister explained that he had long talks with the Caruana Galizia family, and although there was disagreement, “the dialogue led to a bill” based on their recommendations, as well as those of the Institute of Journalists.
“I cannot accept accusations of inaction, as we have been working on a set of bills, including the introduction of anti-SLAPP laws,” said Abela, adding that the bill it also includes harsher penalties for threatening journalists, and unity. within the AFM to protect journalists.
In a lengthy one-hour interview, Abela described his two-year term at the helm of government as a “privilege” despite facing turbulent times caused by the pandemic.
While acknowledging that mistakes had been made, Abela said that unity was a key feature of his government while the constant negativity of the Opposition was the “biggest disappointment”.