PN general council acclaims Carm Mifsud Bonnici

Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, who faces a crucial vote in Parliament on Wednesday, got a standing ovation by PN councillors at this morning's general council.

This week, Parliament will be voting on a censure motion over the home affairs minister's performance tabled by the Opposition.

At the beginning of the council, the PN's executive president Marthese Portelli expressed her full support and thanked home affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Malta's permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana to great acclaim from the gathered councillors.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici who was the last to address the council before the Prime Minister's speech received another standing ovation as he thanked the party faithful.

"This is my grandfather's party, my father's party, my party. I thank the Prime Minister, you made me minister and I will keep on serving you."

He said there is nothing worse than accusing somebody of crime when the person is innocent. Citing the Pietru Pawl Busuttil frame-up, Mifsud Bonnici said the Opposition has not changed in the last 25 years.

"Do not give up, as you have encouraged me I encourage you too. These attacks do not weaken us, they only make us stronger. The attacks make this party more united in its catholic beliefs, in its Christian democrat beliefs," the minister said.

Pointing towards the Prime Minister sitting a few metres away from him, Mifsud Bonnici said "This is the man that will lead us to victory. He has gone through difficulties which no other PN leader has gone through."

“Rest assured that under his guide we will win again,” Mifsud Bonnici said to great applause.

In his short address at the start of the General Council, Sliema MP Robert Arrigo said the PN can still win the forthcoming general election and expressed his satisfaction at the fact that the election will be held in its due time.

Arrigo urged the party media to make better use of its media and called on the party to step up its efforts and match Labour's propaganda machine to convince the people and explain what the government is doing.

Nationalist MP Jean-Pierre Farrugia also hailed Carm Mifsud Bonnici's contribution to the party and the country. The Floriana MP likened Opposition leader Joseph Muscat to former British premier Tony Blair for his media obsession and spin.

Farrugia, a family doctor, called on his party to maintain health and education in their current state to ensure equality.

In an impassioned speech, Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami warned that Labour cannot be trusted with running the country and lambasted the Opposition's proposals for a living wage and the youth guarantee.

Fenech Adami said the Opposition is modelling the 'youth guarantee' on Finland which however has a higher unemployment rate than Malta.

In a passionate end to his address, Fenech Adami warned Labour leader Joseph Muscat that the PN will not go down without a fight. "Forget getting a walk over, we will enter the field of play with an affable captain and we will play till the very last minute to safeguard the future of our country."

On his part, parliamentary secretary, Clyde Puli warned that "the only guarantee Labour can provide is that of empty promises and wrong proposals."

MEP David Casa said unlike the Opposition, the Nationalist Party is not embarrassed of its past leaders and on the Opposition's censure motion, Casa said that Mifsud Bonnici " is and will remain our minister."

Martin Kamp, secretary-general of the PN's political grouping in the European Parliament also addressed this morning's general council. He praised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for leading Malta in the eurozone and for steering away from the economic crisis which crippled Europe.

MEP Simon Busuttil expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for choosing him as his special envoy during the last session of the general council in February.

Busuttil said that in the last three months, during which a large number of meetings with civil society where held, has helped him know Gonzi better. He praised the Prime Minister's enthusiasm, energy and his

"The fact that people are meeting us means that they still have faith in us and are ready to vote for us again," Busuttil said. In an attempt to rally the troops, Busuttil said "we must start believing that we can win again."

He noted that the PN can win the next election "not because the Labour Party is worse than us, but because we are better than them." Busuttil also reminded the party faithful of the Labour leader Joseph Muscat's position against EU membership in 2003.

In reference to Labour MP Karmenu Vella's role in writing the Opposition's manifesto for the forthcoming election, Busuttil said "the future of our country lies in the hands of a former Mintoff Cabinet minister from 30 years ago."