Citizenship scheme | ‘We are ready for people’s verdict’ – Joseph Muscat

The Prime Minister was ready for the public's verdict on the citizenship scheme if consensus failed to be reached in parliament over the Individual Investor Programme.

Speaking in parliament, Joseph Muscat said he wanted to allow more time for discussion on the controversial citizenship scheme.

"Let us find a balance, but let our discussions be guided by consultants. If a solution is reached, then it would be reached. If not, and if we see that we need to see what the public thinks about it, then we will listen to the people," he said.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has already said he was not ruling out seeking national aliiance for an abrogative referendum.

Muscat however urged the House to reach a consensus.

In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said it welcomed the Prime Minister's call for a consensus following its leader's appeal, expressing its availability for this consensus "to be reached in the coming days".

"The Opposition is ready to discuss amendments to the citizenship law, as long as the proposed changes do not include the selling of citizenship. The scheme should be tied to commitments for real investment to create work and a period of residence," the PN said.

It added that common sense should prevail while national interest and the will of the people should be respected.

Turning to the budget, Muscat said that the Opposition was "lost for words".

"The main point is that people are aware that we implement what we promise," he said. "The Opposition's agenda, legitimate, is very clear. And Simon speaks very loud: the PN wants people to forget about the budget."

According to Muscat, the Opposition MPs wanted to speak on other issues which had nothing to do with the budget.

"We have heard nothing about our decision to increase stipends. And the Opposition, day after day, is voting against this point. It is voting against free childcare centres for everyone."

He went on to list a number of positive measures in the Budget which affected workers, families, youth and the elderly "which the Opposition was voting against".

Indulging into his vision for the future, Muscat said his role was to attract foreign investment to generate work and create jobs.

"If he [Busuttil] wants to call me a salesman, let it be. Because what I will certainly not do is sit down and do nothing," he said.

He insisted that the government was "innovative" and, like the European Commission said, more new workplaces were generated this year and more next year.

Muscat said he was "amazed" by how innovative ideas would still generate criticism: "We decided that the best way to boost the economy in Gozo was to do something special. So we did something unprecedented and let people cross for free. And then they shouted that it was from taxpayers' money. Isn't the Notte Bianca financed in the same way?" he said.

Muscat said the issue was not about how much government was spending but how much such an initiative would render.

28,000 people crossed to Gozo, twice as much the crossings last year during the same weekend. And, in three years, it meant more than the average crossings during the Santa Marija weekend.

Turning to the health report penned by former Nationalist Minister John Dalli, Muscat said the Opposition, failing to find anything to criticise the report, had turned its guns to the author of the report.

"When you find nothing to say, shoot the messenger," Muscat said.

On the party financing law, Muscat said it was a "conscious decision" to hold back from implementing it. "We are giving the opposition chance to get back on its feet. We don't want to be accused of some sort of vindictive agenda. Our work is ready and if the Opposition wants to start discussing it tomorrow, I have no problem," he said.

Ridiculing the €10 million claim that the Australia Hall property was worth, Muscat said the Lands Department had originally instituted the court case in 2010 after becoming aware that the PL was about to sign an agreement and solve the issue.

"The court case had been instituted on the eve of the signing of the agreement. That is what political vindictiveness is all about," he said.

At one point, the Opposition MPs accused the Labour MPs of being "thieves", prompting backbencher Joe Debono Grech to request them to withdraw the claim. But the deputy speaker said the comments had not been recorded - given that the mics were off.

Like Busuttil's, Muscat's speech was marked by several heated exchanges betweenthe two sides of the House, with at an argument later ensuing between Beppe Fenech Adami and Labour MP Michael Falzon.

The issue revolved over amendments to the electoral law, with Fenech Adami saying the government never approached the opposition to discuss proposals to amend the electoral law, "but to postpone local councils elections".

Fenech Adami said the government had suggested that no local councils elections should be held during this legislature due to ongoing preparations for the EU presidency and other events.

"It is unacceptable for the Opposition that no local council elections are held. No discussions were ever made on the electoral law, whether formal or informal," the Nationalist MP said.

Falzon, partly confirming what Fenech Adami said, noted that despite having gone back to Fenech Adami with a second proposal, no feedback had been given.