Labour party (PL) leader Joseph Muscat said the Opposition will be taking all the necessary measures in Parliament next year to ensure that the responsibility of the water and electricity tariffs be shouldered by those who should shoulder it, Dr Muscat said that while the unions were thinking they were still discussing the issue with the government, the latter had already published a legal notice bringing the new rates into effect. What kind of consultation was this, he asked when he addressed an activity organised by the PL at Birkirkara, yesterday evening.

Dr Muscat noted that it had to be Labour to inform the people that the same notice also announced a drainage tax.

The Prime Minister was absent and silent on crucial matters for Maltese and Gozitan families. He was silent on matters which threatened the country's democratic and European credentials such as the Mitts and the PN's spying cases.

The Labour leader also urged the government to remain strong in the EU talks on the Lisbon treaty and said the Labour Party would be supporting it for Malta to retain a permanent commissioner and to be given the sixth Parliamentary seat as from the next elections.