Prime Minister answers Muscat on the Budget

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is this evening replying to the comments made by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat on the Budget. His speech will take about two hours and is being streamed live (above) and reported live (below). Following the speech, Nationalist MP Franco Debono is expected to explain his vote.  His remarks will be reported separately. 18:30 pm Christopher Scicluna: Parliamentary questions have just been concluded. Most MPs are in the Chamber and the Strangers' Gallery is filling up. 18:32 pm Christopher Scicluna: The Prime Minister is about to start his address. 18:34 pm Christopher Scicluna: Dr Gonzi says five years since the people chose the PN to lead the government because it had a history of making the right choices. Those who had tried to scare the people that EU membership was detrimental had been proved wrong. The right choices benefited everyone, and the PN had a track record of making the right choices, 18:36 pm : Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Jesmond Mugliett, Franco Debono and Robert Arrigo are among the government MPs not yet in the Chamber. 18:36 pm Christopher Scicluna: The government had needed to make tough choices in the past five years.