Borg: PM Out of Touch with Malta's Financial Reality

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of being out of touch with the financial pressures facing Maltese households, citing the government's use of boat-purchase figures as a measure of economic wellbeing. Speaking on NET TV's Analiżi, conducted by Thomas De Martino, Borg said that if the Prime Minister could not understand the real problems people faced, he would not be able to solve them.

Borg pointed to three groups whose concerns he said bore no relation to boat ownership. Workers reported salaries that did not stretch to month's end. Young people were focused on affording a first home, not a first boat.

For elderly citizens, the priority was covering the cost of food, medicine and daily essentials. Borg raised the cases of controversial projects in Marsaskala and Marsalforn that were reversed or removed following public opposition and demanded clarity on who had authorised the works, who had approved them and who would pay to undo them. He connected this to ministers who had left Parliamentary Questions unanswered, describing it as disrespect to the public and evidence of weak leadership.

"Everybody says, 'It wasn't me,' and they think every problem can simply be solved by spending more money," he said. Borg accused the government of treating the public broadcaster as a "government announcement board" and said a future PN administration would require the Broadcasting Authority to ensure balanced political coverage. He said the government had also failed to address persistent traffic and congestion problems despite pre-election commitments.

Borg reported strong turnout and feedback in his ongoing PN leadership confirmation vote, which was due to close the Wednesday following the interview. He described the path to the next general election as "a marathon rather than a sprint" and called for the party to sharpen its policymaking, build deeper contact between MPs and the public and open its doors to all who wished to contribute.

A fundraising marathon organised around Borg's birthday raised €154,000 for NET FM studio upgrades and broadcasting equipment replacement, some of which had been in use since the station's launch. Work was expected to begin within weeks, modernising and rebranding studios while creating a more welcoming environment for staff and volunteers.