Selling Malta short: Why the PN on its own cannot be trusted to deliver real change

Malta stands at a crossroads, yearning for change. But true progress demands more than just swapping one set of familiar faces for another.

We must confront the hard truth: the Nationalist Party (PN), as it stands, cannot by itself bring the transformative change our islands desperately need.

The recent incisive article by Dr. Kevin Cassar focusing on PN MP Alex Borg appears to have struck a nerve within the PN, prompting defensive reactions that struggled to effectively counter the strong criticism. Against this backdrop, a familiar pattern seems to repeat itself, tragically clear in recent events such as the vote on Fort Chambray.

Here, the young PN MP, Alex Borg, despite rhetoric of renewal, voted in favour of a development mired in controversy, where contractual breaches and overly generous concessions were ignored. This vote was not cast in favour of Gozo or its people, but along with the lies on Borg’s part, perpetuates the cycle of overdevelopment threatening to suffocate our islands. This was a vote cast against the interests of Maltese citizens.

The party's public silence on such a critical issue speaks volumes, and is only now broken to defend the indefensible. The irony became starker when several PN figures later signed a petition to protect Chambray, after Alex Borg and his colleague Stanley Zammit had already cast the decisive vote in favour of the development, the vote that truly mattered.

This is not an isolated incident. It's symptomatic of a deeper malaise within the PN set up. When faced with criticism, whether from NGOs exposing factual inaccuracies or commentators highlighting alarming sympathies with divisive, Trumpian-style rhetoric, the reaction is to defend the party line, rather than to uphold principle.

This is precisely why the PN alone cannot break the stranglehold of greed and poor decision-making that consistently sells the Maltese public short. Time and again, when integrity demands a stand, whether it is on Chambray, on Manoel Island or on the relentless encroachment of concrete, the party either falls silent or, worse, aligns itself against the public good. We know there are individuals within the PN who disagree, who genuinely care, yet they are consistently forced to betray their conscience for party unity. This is not strength; it is a critical weakness.

As the next elections draw closer, we anticipate a familiar, cynical strategy: a drift towards populist, divisive rhetoric targeting immigrants and foreigners, attempting to distract from the core issues while maintaining cosy relationships with powerful business interests. This is not leadership; it is a recipe for further division and stagnation.

Momentum acknowledges the urgent need for a change in government. People ask why we don't simply join forces with the PN.

The answer lies in these fundamental differences. We refuse to compromise on our core values:

·       Integrity: Politics must serve the people, not vested interests.

·       Environmental Stewardship: Our natural and built heritage is priceless, not a commodity for speculators.

·       Social Justice: We stand against division and advocate for the dignity of all residents.

·       Transparency: Decisions must be made openly and with clear accountability.

Though we can work with the PN to deliver the future Malta deserves, we can never be part of a party that consistently demonstrates it is unwilling or unable to champion these principles when it truly counts. Momentum respects and supports the many NGOs that have consistently fought for our environment and our rights.

To those disillusioned voters, tired of the same political games and misplaced loyalties, we say: your frustration is valid. But apathy is not the answer. Momentum offers a genuine path forward, a chance to break the suffocating duopoly that has failed Malta for too long. We offer a politics rooted in courage, conviction, and a deep-seated belief in a better future.

Malta is not for sale. Our environment is not for sale. We reject the politics of fear and division. We stand firmly against bullying tactics, wherever they originate from. We offer hope, not based on empty promises, but on a steadfast commitment to building a Malta where citizens, not deals, come first. Join us in giving this hope to both present and future generations. Visit our website on partitmomentum.org to learn how you can get involved.