Departure tax should be abolished straight away

The government should abolish the air departure tax with immediate effect, Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday said.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said it was shameful that the government intended to retain departure tax for another four to five months since the European Commission had long declared this tax illegal. "Rather than a victory for citizens' rights, this is taking people for a ride," Dr Cassola said.

He also called for the removal of the departure tax levied on passengers using ferries to Sicily, which he claimed the government was planning to retain.