Former Prime Minister and former Labour Leader Joseph Muscat said the upcoming General Election is not simply a choice between lists of proposals, but a question of credibility, competence and whether the country continues building on what it already achieved.

Interviewed by Manuel Micallef on Sibt il-Punt, Muscat said the real choice facing voters is “whether to keep what you have and build on it, or risk something that could make you lose what you already have.”

Muscat said that, as a citizen, he feels the campaign so far has been relatively free from the bitterness seen in previous elections, adding that credit should go to all sides. He noted, however, that social media remains a different story, describing it as a space where many hide behind keyboards in a way they would never do face to face.

Turning to the electoral pledges being made, Muscat said he feels reassured by Labour’s proposals because the party has had a system in place since 2008 through which ideas are tested, costed and developed before being announced.

He said Labour’s proposals are ambitious, pointing to the €1,000 super bonus for workers as an example of a measure that carries a substantial cost. However, he said he is confident that Labour’s measures are properly costed and based on a serious process.

By contrast, Muscat raised doubts about the Nationalist Party’s credibility, referring to mistakes in calculations and proposals which, in his view, show a lack of preparation. He said the biggest concern is not simply that certain promises may not be delivered, but that poor planning could put at risk what the country already has.

He also criticised the PN’s proposal on succession tax, arguing that it could result in smaller property owners paying for the benefit of those with larger estates. For Muscat, this is why voters must look beyond slogans and assess whether proposals have been properly thought through.

On the economy, the former Prime Minister said Malta must continue growing, noting that international agencies continue giving the country positive assessments. Economic growth, he argued, remains central because it is what allows Government to sustain social measures and protect living standards.

Muscat also addressed the issue of foreign workers. He asked whether Malta has enough Maltese workers to fill every role required in the economy, and said the answer is no. Foreign workers, he said, are today present in sectors such as cleaning, transport, construction and elderly care.

He accused the Nationalist Party of inconsistency, saying that while it criticises foreign workers, some of its proposals would make Malta more attractive to them. He referred to the PN’s proposed €1,200 rebate, arguing that this would also be given to many foreign workers, while Labour’s €1,000 super bonus is targeted towards Maltese, European workers and those who have lived in Malta for a longer period.

Muscat was also critical of the PN’s proposal for a Population Authority, describing it as ideologically questionable and warning that the functions such an authority would carry out are already covered by existing institutions such as Identità, the National Statistics Office and Jobsplus.

He said that if the Opposition wants to be taken seriously on population and foreign workers, it should explain how many foreign workers it would remove, from which sectors, and what impact this would have on services such as elderly care.

The former Labour Leader also spoke at length about the PN’s proposal linked to offshore energy infrastructure, also known as a petrol station in the middle of the Mediterranean.

He said that while the idea of certain offshore industrial activity at Hurd’s Bank had been studied before, there is a major difference between considering a concept on paper and placing critical energy infrastructure in open international waters.

According to Muscat, such a project would not simply involve a private commercial operation. Depending on who invests in, owns, supplies or uses the infrastructure, it could involve the interests of foreign states and major international energy players. In that scenario, he warned, the platform itself could become a strategic target.

He argued that in today’s unstable geopolitical climate, an offshore energy hub in the middle of the Mediterranean could be exposed to risks far beyond normal commercial operations. If a foreign state or hostile actor wanted to retaliate against another state connected to the project, such a platform could become a military or security target.

Muscat also drew a comparison with the controversy that had surrounded the presence of one Russian tanker in Maltese waters. He argued that if so much concern was raised over a single tanker, the risks would be far greater if Malta placed a major offshore platform in the Mediterranean, potentially linked to or serviced by many tankers and international operators.

In his view, the issue is not only commercial, but also one of national security and environmental protection. He warned that any incident involving such a facility could threaten security of supply, damage Malta’s marine environment and harm the country’s tourism industry.

He also questioned the numbers behind the proposal, arguing that relocating LNG infrastructure offshore would be far more complex and expensive than suggested. Muscat said such a shift would require major changes to the current system, including regasification infrastructure, mooring facilities and a pipeline connection back to Delimara.

He contrasted this with the Government’s work on a gas pipeline connection to the European network, which he described as a safer and more credible long-term solution. Such a pipeline, he said, would connect Malta to established European infrastructure rather than placing critical energy facilities in exposed waters.

On surveys, Muscat said they should always be taken seriously but understood for what they are: a snapshot of a particular moment. He said the most important figure is not only the gap between the parties, but the number of people who say they are still undecided, which he estimated at around 30,000.

He said some voters may be looking at the election as though they are choosing between two lists of proposals, but argued that this is not the real question. The real issue, he said, is whether people want to keep building on a stable foundation or take a risk that could undo existing progress.

Muscat also spoke about leadership, saying Robert Abela did a good job during the COVID period and after. He said Abela leads with a strong team around him, which is essential in Government. While he said no political opponent should be underestimated, he argued that the PN appears more like a one-man show, whereas running a country requires a team.

Asked for his appeal, Muscat said every Government makes mistakes, but the important thing is that it remains in contact with people and corrects what needs to be corrected. He said that where someone feels disappointed with a particular Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or candidate, the answer is not necessarily to change party, but to choose different candidates within the same party.

In his closing message, Muscat returned to the central argument of the interview: this election is not only about which benefit or proposal one prefers, but about whether Malta continues building on what it has achieved or risks losing it.

He said this can be an election in which people are reminded of the “sweetness” of what has been achieved, and of what can still be achieved if the country continues working together.