Alternattiva Demokratika said the Budget for 2014 was out of focus, speaking a few words about everything but only presenting a few concrete proposals and a number of contradictions.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said in certain sectors a clear direction was missing, an example being where authorities and commissions were concerned.

Instead of simplifying the administration, the Government continued to complicate matters by setting up more of them.

Instead of consolidating the various authorities, the Gover-nment was wasting resources on creating new ones, such as the aviation industry.

The Government mentioned the monitoring of air but at the same time was increasing traffic in Valletta and drastically reducing the fees for car registration.

Prof. Cassola added that low earners continued to be ignored by the Government while taxation for those who earned more continued to be reduced.

In the meantime, the minimum wage remained the same.

Questioning whether proje-ctions of income from tax and VAT for 2014 were too optimistic, Prof. Cassola called for the publication of the auditor’s report on this matter.