Bus drivers' salary will not be minimum wage - ministry

The Transport Ministry this afternoon denied that bus drivers had been given a 10-year job guarantee for only a minimum wage.

Replying to comments made this morning by opposition leader Joseph Muscat, the ministry said their salary would not be any lower than €9,486. This was substantially higher than the minimum wage and reflected what the bus owners said they paid their drivers, the ministry said.

The ministry also insisted that the compensation to the bus owners would not impact the national deficit since it would be paid by Transport Malta, which, in line with recent changes to the law, was not part of the government budget.