The Transport Ministry yesterday reacted strongly to a claim made by Labour leader Joseph Muscat that the Government had postponed its reaction to the European Commission’s criticism of Arriva’s differentiated bus fares.

Stressing that the Government’s response to Brussels has already been drafted and will be sent to the EU “in the coming days”, the ministry accused Dr Muscat of undermining Malta’s position with Brussels.

“With his comments Dr Muscat is clearly undermining Malta’s negotiating position with the EU and for partisan reasons is risking an increase in bus fares for Maltese residents.”

Reiterating its position that Malta is insisting with the Commission that it has a right to have a two-tier system differentiating between residents and non-residents, the ministry argued that if the Commission has its way it will mean the current bus fares for local residents will have to increase to compensate lower fares to non-residents.

Last month, The Sunday Times revealed that the European Commission started official infringement procedures against Malta on ‘discriminatory’ bus fares differentiating between residents and non-residents.

According to Brussels, the current scheme amounts to “indirect discrimination based on nationality of EU citizens who have used their right to move and reside freely within the Union, and where applicable, their right to receive services, right to free movement of persons and right to free movement of capital under the EU Treaty”.

The Commission gave Malta two months to revise the tariffs or reply to its accusations. If the Commission is not satisfied it may decide to step up its infringement procedures.