PN spokesman Robert Arrigo this evening asked in Parliament if it was true that the government was buying Selmun Palace back from Air Malta for €15 million.

Speaking during the Budget debate, Mr Arrigo also asked if it was true that another foreigner was being brought over to head Air Malta.

Earlier, spokesman Tonio Fenech said that the government’s reaction to the European Commission’s statement about the Budget - that its reaction was not on the proper Budget but on the draft - was pathetic.

This was because this was not the first, but the second letter from the Commission and the government’s excuse to the first letter had also been that the Commission was referring to the draft Budget.

The government had said that it would provide the Commission with the necessary information to show that the Budget would not breach the EU pact.