‘We’re in it to win it’ Gonzi tells PN faithful

Additional reporting by Jacob Borg

"Let's go for it, let's go for it! I only race to win!" was Lawrence Gonzi's impassioned battle cry to the hundreds of PN supporters who gathered at the party headquarters in Pietà for the first campaign rally on Monday evening.

A bellicose and confident PN leader set the tone for the two-month campaign by stressing his administration's economic record and achievements in job creation, education and health.

"Safe and secure future" and "gimmicks" were the most frequently used words of the evening, with Gonzi taking a dig a Labour's presumed inclination to electoral publicity stunts.

In speaking about the debt woes faced by other European countries like Cyprus and Spain, Gonzi adamantly stressed: "I give you my word, I will never let my country suffer such humiliation. You know where you stand with PN. I compete to win, the 9 March election is not about deciding the future of PN, it is about deciding the future of a nation."

Gonzi repeatedly placed himself above the "gimmicks" being displayed by PL. "We do not have a slogan, we have something visceral felt in everyday life. The issues of work, health and education are felt by all, regardless of age."

Turning his sights to the PL's midnight campaign launch, the Prime Minister deplored Muscat's "lack of protocol in not waiting for President Abela to officially dissolve Parliament. What was the hurry? On the other hand we shall conduct this campaign in a calm and serene manner."

Feeding into the parties' stand on diversity, also symbolised by the PN's multi-coloured logo, Gonzi mirrored Labour's call for inclusiveness, "the PN has an open door policy, regardless of ideology."

As hundreds of supporters flocked to the PN headquarters in Pietà, party activists tried their best to create a party atmosphere by throwing huge coloured balloons into the crowd as the routine PN theme songs blasted from the speakers.

Chants of 'Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti' greeted the Prime Minister, who earlier on had an informal chat with journalists in his office over a cup of coffee. He later launched a revamped PN webpage, which went online as of yesterday evening.

In the evening's opening salvos, both PN secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier and deputy leader Simon Busuttil were at pains to emphasise the importance "of every single vote," insisting that the PN was starting the campaign as the "underdog."

"Do not let others decide your future, every single vote counts," was the main message drilled home by the PN duo.

"We will base our campaign on the truth and honesty and not gimmicks. On 9 March the country needs you. If you are a Nationalist, a Labourite or a floating voter, you know where you stand with us. The country needs you because on 9 March you will decide the future of the country," Busuttil emphatically said as he concluded his address.