Alternattiva Demokratika said the government’s 2012 Budget fails to tackle the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and unsustainable water usage, despite some positive measures in other areas.

Criticising the government’s “sporadic initiatives” for renewable energy, AD chairman Michael Briguglio said: “The plain truth is that dirty fossil fuels will keep increasing in price while increasing pollution in the process. The only guarantee for clean energy and stable prices comes from renewable energy, which creates green jobs in the process”.

Sustainable development spokesman Carmel Cacopardo said the Budget did not refer to action to protect water resources.

He said measures to prevent the illegal extraction of water through unauthorised boreholes could had had a positive impact on domestic water costs, as illegal extraction forced the Water Services Corporation to rely heavily on costly reverse osmosis plants.

AD welcomed the cost-of-living measures aimed at compensating different groups, but said it was disappointed that the government “did not have the courage to increase the minimum wage, despite the hardships faced by low income earners”.

AD also welcomed proposals for further reductions in the budget deficit, but cautioned that the reduction targets are not cast aside for electoral purposes.

Tax amendments, though mostly positive, should have been more progressive by rewarding income earners on lower taxable scales, AD added.