PN on Opposition leader’s libel suit: ‘Muscat in a panic’
Nationalists accuse Labour leader of flip-flopping on issues in reaction to libel suit filed over ‘wage freeze’ spin.
The Nationalist Party has accused Labour leader Joseph Muscat of flip-flopping on major policy issues, in a reaction it issued to his libel suit filed earlier this week over claims he was advocating a 'minimum wage freeze'.
Muscat has declared he will not raise minimum wage over and above the annual cost of living adjustment, and has filed a libel suit against the prime minister over claims he was advocating a freeze on minimum wage, akin to the 1983 general wage freeze.
In a reaction, the PN said Muscat was panicking: "He wants to censor what the PN is saying. He is panicking and his true colours are coming out: it's a party anchored to the past, wage freezes and unemployment," PN communications director Frank Psaila said.
"Nobody knows where they stand with Muscat. He changes his stand according to his whims. He was against censorship, now he is in favour; he wanted a living wage, now a freeze on minimum wage; he changed his mind about Europe, now Karmenu Vellu wants to reopen the negotiation package. You can't work with Labour. Labour won't work," Psaila said.