The Nationalist Party insisted today that jobs came before the financial deficit.

Reacting to a press conference by Labour leader Joseph Muscat, the PN said Labour had confirmed it lacked a serious policy on jobs and investment.

In his press conference, the Labour leader had acted like the international financial crisis did not exist, the party said.

It said the governemnt was helping companies such as Methode, Dedicated Micros, Stainless Steel and Trelleborg in their moments of crisis.

Furthermore, official figures showed that in the first quarter of this year, the ETC had recorded 1,636 job vacancies while last year, foreign direct investment reached €624 million compared to €316 million in 2004 when Malta joined the EU.

In the last budget, the government announced an investment programme to boost the economy. That included a €124 million programme of infrastructural works, €61m on environmental projects and €58m on worker training.

The government had also announced major programmes on alternative energy, incentives for SMEs and assistance to the tourism sector.

The PN insisted that 7,000 jobs had been created in 12 months, but, it said, the PL leader did not know the difference between job creation and the increase in jobs.

The party recalled that some weeks ago, Dr Muscat had urged the government to move a mini-budget to reduce the deficit, but, it said, this would only mean shifting the burden onto households and businesses, to the detriment of the economy.