Muscat shrugs off Marlene Farrugia's PN address: 'It’s a free world'

Joseph Muscat has shrugged off an appearance by Labour MP Marlene Farrugia at a Nationalist Party protest against ODZ development at Zonqor Point.

“It’s a free world,” Muscat candidly replied to multiple questions by reporters asking whether he had met Marlene Farrugia, whether he’s confident of her loyalty to the party and how does his react to Labourites’ frustration at Farrugia’s actions.

“These are an individual’s choices and I have no qualms with what a person wants to do,” Muscat said.

Labour MP Marlene Farrugia addressed a gathering of PN supporters yesterday morning, warning them that if Malta doesn’t stand firm against foreign developers, it risks losing its identity.

“We must defend all that makes us unique from other Mediterranean countries,” she said, describing Malta’s heritage as not only the legacies of her different rulers through history, but also the beauty of the countryside.

In a rousing speech to the crowd, she denounced the American University project as “not an investment, but a risk of losing what is irreplaceable.”

“If Malta doesn’t stand firm against whoever is pushing it to sell the country, it will lose its identity,” she warned.

“The government will not give you a park,” she said referring to the promised nature park in the South, “all this is yours already.”

She appealed to the government to listen to the voice of the people and to stick to its electoral manifesto, encouraging all those present to struggle against this development. “ The final victory will be Malta’s,” she said, to rapturous applause.