‘The past is the past, I fully abide by PN manifesto’ – Josie Muscat

● PL takes aim at Josie Muscat, question Dr Busuttil’s decision

Joanna Demarco and Kevin Schembri Orland

Nationalist Party Candidate Josie Muscat has said that, despite his past beliefs and controversial statements, he will completely abide by the Nationalist Party’s manifesto.

Contacted yesterday by The Malta Independent, Dr Muscat was asked a list of queries, questioning his changing opinions about the European Union, immigration, domestic violence and his switching of political parties.

Replying to all the questions in one direct statement, the candidate said, “the past is the past, I am today representing the Nationalist Party and I fully abide 100% by its manifesto”.

Questioned by the press on Monday, National Party Leader Simon Busuttil was also confident about Dr Muscat’s candidature.

Yesterday, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Deborah Schembri took aim at the PN’s choice in candidates, slamming Simon Busuttil’s decision to accept Josie Muscat as a candidate.

The two played old clips of Josie Muscat’s speeches. They quoted Josie Muscat as having said: “it is in the best interest of the child to have a mother and father and not two women or two men,” and that he disagreed with gay couples or gay people adopting independently.

Dr Schembri said that if the PN accepts candidates with such principles then they have “dropped so low that they cannot recuperate their credibility.”

She said that the PN accepted people who speak disparagingly against immigrants, single parents etc, that the PN accepted people who insult others, including Salvu Mallia and Wayne Hewitt.

“This is the PN and these are the candidates Simon Busuttil would want as ministers.”

She said: “Sincerely, I don’t remember any PN Head accepting these kinds of people.”

While explaining that she believes in free speech, she said that when a party chooses its candidates, they are the party’s battle cry.

“We cannot have Simon Busuttil saying that he does not fully agree with one person’s statement or another. If one speaks disparagingly about women, civil unions etc, that is his election battle cry. Can you imagine Josie Muscat as a Civil Liberties Minister?”

Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said that Europe calls Malta a beacon of hope. She criticised Dr Simon Busuttil, and said that he said that Single mothers are in the south.

“What is the problem. We speak about different forms of families. Are single mothers not a family?”

She also took aim at Josie Muscat. “Josie Muscat spoke about violence. How can you, as a politician, seeing that refer to a zero tolerance on violence, have a candidate come and say that violence on women occurs because the man would be provoked...”

She criticised Josie Muscat’s views on violence, but also mentioned the use of violence in political discourse.

“We are not just speaking of physical violence. If one uses statements like ‘off with their heads,’ then that is sending a bad message, a message that is opposed to zero tolerance. It is important for politicians to speak in a moderate tone and not violently.”