UPDATED: Transport: draft agreement rejected, mediation continues

(Adds details on proposals and draft agreement)

The Transport Federation last night made fresh proposals to the government about a solution to the transport strike and the government this morning replied with a draft agreement which was totally unacceptable, Transport Federation president Victor Spiteri said this afternoon.

Speaking at Qormi, where the police have confined all red minibuses (picture), Mr Spiteri said the proposals were made after the Malta Hearses Association pulled out of the federation.

Mr Spiteri said that while up to last night he had hopes of an agreement, those hopes were dashed.

He said, however, that further mediation is taking place.

Mr Spiteri said the federation was calling for talks and not the imposition of liberalisation on public transport but the draft agreement the government had proposed conditioned all sectors of public transport to liberalisation. This, Mr Spiteri said, went beyond EU requirements, which only spoke of liberalisation in the operation of bus routes. He said the federation is also calling on the government to withdraw fines and other penalties imposed since the strike began and the reinstatement of contracts such as that at the Park and Ride.

Mr Spiteri also expressed fears that the army might take over public transport vehicles, put on new number plates on them, and provide transport services.

At Qormi, the police are only letting up to 10 minibuses leave. No other minibuses are being allowed out until the first 10 return.

The buses are under similar watch at the Valletta terminus and army trucks have been parked across the road. A number of white taxis are being held at the airport.