The declaration made this morning by the Finance Minister that the government would not be reducing income tax in the next budget was unfair for the honest people who had always done their duty, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said.

Speaking during a meeting with Forum, a grouping of 11 trade unions, Dr Muscat said it was not fair that honest people who always paid their taxes were being denied a cut in income tax while those involved in the VAT scandal were given light sentences and those who failed to pay income tax in the past years were being offered an amnesty.

Dr Muscat said that in view of the government’s declaration that the country had now overcome its problems, the Labour Party was expecting a good budget.

If the worst was over, there were no more excuses as to why the budget should not be a good one, he said.

Dr Muscat also spoke on corruption and said this was another tax which the citizen had to pay for.

The Labour leader backed the Forum call for it to be granted a seat on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.