Confidence vote will pass, but it will not solve Gonzi’s problem – Muscat

Addressing a political activity in Isla, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said that at this time of international crisis, when all eyes are on Malta to make sure that the right decisions are being taken both for the stability of the island but also for the eurozone, all they are seeing “is a government in crisis”.

“The government is in crisis because it is led by a weak Prime Minister who is more focused on issues going on within his political party, rather than addressing the important issues which hit the families.”

Referring to the motion presented by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, calling for a vote of confidence in government to be taken next Tuesday, Muscat said there is no question that the vote will pass.

“We are sure that the vote will pass. There is no question about that. But the Prime Minister knows well enough that his crisis will not end with this simple vote he wants to take,” Muscat said.

“He knows well enough that his crisis will continue. He is leading a party which even the genuine Nationalists are not recognising themselves with. The Prime Minister has lost the difference between being a political party and being in government.”

Referring to the Cabinet minutes which were discussed during a meeting of the PN executive, Muscat said that those who truly respected the constitution would never have tolerated this. Muscat said that such minutes are regulated by clear rules.

Muscat said the Prime Minister panicked when the Opposition moved the motion against Transport Minister Austin Gatt, “to the extent that this week he asked us not to vote in parliament. As if we were going to turn our back on the Maltese.”

Muscat criticised government for instead of letting the one individual responsible of the public transport shoulder the responsibility, Lawrence Gonzi decided it would be collective responsibility.

“The Prime Minister himself bound the stability of this government, of this country to one individual. An irresponsible decision which goes on to prove how far Gonzi is held hostage by Austin Gatt.”

Referring to Gatt’s speech on Friday, Muscat said that Gatt only spoke on a partisan level: “He made it clear that his priority is the Nationalist Party and nothing else. One would expect such speech at a band club but not in Parliament.”

Muscat said that in the past three years and a half, government was faced by one crisis after the other. He reiterated that government had a problem: “This problem is not Franco Debono but Lawrence Gonzi. He is showing lack of leadership, he is weak and unable to decide.”