The government is deceiving the people in the way it is explaining the drop in the country's deficit and the increase in debt, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this evening.
Speaking during a party activity in Paola as part of the MEP election campaign, Dr Busuttil said the figures regarding the government deficit and debt created contradictions.
For while the government said that the deficit was down from €225.7 million in 2012 to €203 million in 2013, the debt increased by €373 million reaching €5.24 billion.
The government, he said, was not explaining where the difference between the €200 million and the €373 million - almost €400 million - went.
Besides, he said, the government was deceiving the public when it said that it managed to reduce the deficit while also managing to reduce energy tariffs and return the VAT paid on car registration.
For the Prime Minister was not telling people that the deficit figures referred to last year while the reduction of tariffs and VAT still had to happen this year.
"This is a lie... we have a government that blatantly lied in your face... it's not right to have a government that insults our intelligence," he said.
He reiterated that this was a very difficult election for the PN since only a year had passed since the general election and it would be difficult to recuperate the difference in votes. But it could be done in five years, he said.
After the MEP elections Joseph Muscat would remain Prime Minister and a message could be sent to him that Malta deserved better and there was a lot of room for improvement.
PN president Ann Fenech said that, in her opinion, Malta was not better off under Labour. She met many people while drawing up the report on the electoral defeat and remained in contact with them. Today, she said, they were analysing why they voted for the PL.
Many had been convinced of what the PL promised them during their "convincing campaign". They were promised meritocracy and transparency but now realised this was not being delivered.
She was most impressed by the "absurd and disgusting" way in which the commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, an accomplished man, had to leave.
He was replaced by a major when one had to keep in mind that there were some four grades between the ranks and this showed a sign of disrespect towards such an important institution.
Then, she said, there was the case of former Mount Carmel CEO Dolores Gauci who had no links to the political world but had vast experience in the field of mental health. Instead of her the PL put a lawyer, Clifton Grima.
"I would love to know how he merits the post," she said adding that this government had based itself on "who you know" rather than "what you know."