Final plan on Air Malta unchanged, ministry says
The Finance Ministry yesterday rebutted a Labour Party claim that the final version of the Air Malta restructuring plan was not discussed in the steering committee, a day after the government said it had passed on the plan to the European...
The Finance Ministry yesterday rebutted a Labour Party claim that the final version of the Air Malta restructuring plan was not discussed in the steering committee, a day after the government said it had passed on the plan to the European Commission.
The steering committee had been set up to consult all stakeholders about the plan, on which the airline’s survival depends.
“The last meeting took place more than a month ago and since then no other meeting was held to approve or at least discuss the final plan which was meant to be sent to the Commission,” the Labour Party said.
The party said this confirmed that the government was simply using the steering committee to hide behind it, and not as a forum for genuine discussion.
Reacting to the Labour Party’s statement, the Finance Ministry said the final version had not changed since the latest meeting. It said the government had spent the past month in talks with the Commission to ensure everything was done according to the EU’s legal parameters.
“If the Commission requests strategic changes, the government will rediscuss these changes with the committee,” the ministry said.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech on Tuesday confirmed that the plan had been presented on deadline but he refused to give any details.
However, he said the ball was now in the European Commission’s court and he would wait for any questions or requests for clarifications.
The government said the opposition was showing that its only interest in this process was to cast doubts and gain political advantage. Meanwhile, the Labour Party yesterday reiterated its call for the sacking of Mr Fenech who on Tuesday said his position was up to the Prime Minister to determine, not the Opposition leader.
The Labour Party said the ball was now in the Prime Minister’s court to remove Mr Fenech who after three years of scandals had not repented.
“If the Prime Minister does not remove Mr Fenech, the people will have no other choice but to remove Lawrence Gonzi as Prime Minister.”