Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Robert Abela said his Government is ready to begin implementing several key electoral manifesto commitments immediately, as he addressed the Kick-Off Reception of the Labour Party’s General Conference.
Speaking to party supporters, Abela said that while not every electoral target had yet been reached, his administration had remained focused on delivering its commitments.
He said the Government had already begun working on a number of legislative measures and announced that seven key Bills would be introduced “exactly in the first few days of this legislature.”
Among the Government’s top priorities is the reform of Malta’s IVF legislation. Abela said the amendments will expand the PGTM test to cover more medical conditions.
“We can’t allow even a few couples to have to go abroad,” he said, adding that his Government had already made IVF treatment and medicines free of charge, invested in state-of-the-art equipment and partnered with the private sector to eliminate waiting lists.
Describing parenthood as “the most sacred right”, Abela said the reform would provide greater justice for more couples by giving them the opportunity to become parents.
The Prime Minister also announced changes to the planning appeals system. Under the proposed reform, construction work will no longer be allowed to continue while an appeal against a development permit is pending before the Tribunal or the Courts.
“We’ve worked hard and consulted a lot on this reform, and now it’s time to put it into action,” he said.
Abela also confirmed that further reforms relating to equality and the voluntary sector will be brought forward during the opening weeks of the legislature.
Reflecting on “Malta’s progress in civil rights,” he said that before 2013 the country had been “almost last, if not the last, in the field of civil rights,” while today it consistently ranks among Europe’s leaders.
He said the Government intends to strengthen that position further through the next round of reforms, arguing that the country should continue leading in equality rather than standing still.
Abela criticised what he described as “a very dangerous narrative” emerging from the Opposition “regarding civil rights”, saying he had heard “barely any words of condemnation” from the Leader of the Opposition. He argued that the Labour Government now carries an even greater responsibility to continue advancing reforms in this area.
A significant part of Abela’s address focused on the importance of the Labour Party’s General Conference and the confirmation of the party leadership. He described the coming days as “an important moment” for the movement, noting that early voting had already begun and saying he had witnessed a high level of enthusiasm among party members at Labour headquarters despite the recent electoral campaign having concluded.
He said the atmosphere within the party remained “as if we’re heading into a General Election,” and appealed directly to Labour members to participate in the confirmation process by giving a strong mandate to the party leadership.
“It is the responsibility of every single one of you to give that strong confidence to the party’s leadership,” Abela said.
He told Delegates that a strong vote of confidence would not only strengthen the Labour Party but also reinforce the Government’s ability to continue implementing its programme.
According to Abela, the strong mandate received from the Maltese and Gozitan people in the recent election should now be transformed into “more and more work” by everyone within the movement.
Turning to party matters, Abela praised Labour’s organisational structure and thanked activists, volunteers, candidates, ministers, parliamentary secretaries and members of the parliamentary group for their work during the recent election campaign.
He also paid tribute to young party members, saying they had demonstrated the talent within the Labour Party through the way they communicated the party’s message throughout the campaign.
Looking ahead to the coming months, Abela revealed that he has instructed every Minister to identify two priority electoral manifesto measures to be implemented before the pre-budget period.
He also outlined the Government’s vision for the upcoming Budget, describing it as “progressive.”
According to Abela, the Budget will continue supporting parents, young people, students, businesses, the self-employed, first-time buyers and pensioners, while continuing to improve people’s quality of life and wellbeing.
Concluding his address, Abela called on Labour supporters to continue working to implement the electoral manifesto, ending with the message: “You are Malta, your dream, our project.”
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