The shadow minister for economic affairs, Claudio Grech urged the government today to adopt the PN's proposals on Air Malta, saying this would probably be the last chance to do so in the wake of the break down of talks with Alitalia.
Addressing a news conference at PN headquarters, he recalled that the PN had proposed, more than a year ago, that Maltese investors be invited to buy into inthe national airline, but the government had insisted on forging ahead with the Alitalia talks.
Under the PN proposal, there would be an attempt to seek Maltese investment and shareholding over a three-year period while the government would take on itself the airline's 70 million euro debt.
The PN is also saying that there needs to be a long-term agreement between Government and Opposition on the way forward, extending beyond the term of the legislature.
Mr Grech said that doubts on the suitability of the Italian carrier as Air Malta's strategic partner had been raised from the very beginning of the talks, in view of Alitalia's precarious financial situation.
The PN spokesman lamented that the Opposition was not kept in the loop during the negotiations.
He also pointed out that Air Malta's financial statements for the year which ended in March 2016 have not yet been published.
Mr Grech observed that in terms of the restructuring plan approved by the EU, the government had injected EUR230 million to make the airline financial viable by March 2016.
The government now needed to explain the current situation and the results obtained at the end of this plan.
He said government should clarify if the airline was using just six planes, the state of play on the various collective agreements, and whether Air Malta was being treated in the same manner as low cost airlines on issues like the terminal charges.
The break-down of the Air Malta - Alitalia talks was also raised in parliament yesterday when Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis delivered a statement. See report here.
Asked if he would describe the party's decision to seek a EUR250,000 loan from Zaren Vassallo as an example of good governance, Mr Grech said that the PN had already given its explanation on this "administrative" matter, while pointing out that the sum had been repaid in full.
He added that the PN was the first ever party to give such information.
Asked if he would have shouldered political responsibility in the wake of the Audtor' General's report on the transfer of land at the former Lowenbrau factory in Qormi to Mr Vassallo, the PN spokesman said there was no political interference in the deal. He noted that unlike the PL, the Opposition did not resort to attacking this institution to express its disagreement with the NAO's findings.