The government’s claim that electricity bills would need to rise by 20 to 30 per cent if oil prices remained at current levels could not be verified because of lack of transparency in the way Enemalta bought fuel, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

Speaking on One Radio in a telephone link from London, where he is paying an official visit, Dr Muscat said Maltese families where unaware of how Enemalta was purchasing oil products. He was referring to a statement made by the Finance Ministry last week that Enemalta would face serious cost increases should oil prices remain at present levels.

Dr Muscat said that while oil was now cheaper than it was before the election, electricity rates were higher.

He said the opposition supported the government’s decision at the EU Council last week to help Greece, another eurozone country. Malta had to assist Greece because the island would be affected badly if the Greek economy defaulted, he said. However, although Malta was contributing towards Greece’s bailout, it was being left on its own when it came to immigration. It was up to the government, Dr Muscat insisted, to demand European help on this matter.

He took a jibe at the government over the recent controversy surrounding the pedestrianisation of Bisazza Street in Sliema, asking how the government could expect to be trusted with running the country if it was not able to organise a street. Following weeks of contradictory statements by the Transport Ministry and the Resources Ministry over whether buses would go through the recently-paved road, it was finally decided that the thoroughfare would remain car-free. However, the move would mean the bus operator Arriva would have to be compensated.

He said Maltese citizens were experiencing the second highest cost of living in three years, adding that the recent increase in planning authority fees and Transport Malta tariffs came about without any logical justification.

Speaking about Air Malta, Dr Muscat said the government should state clearly its strategy for the airline, low cost airlines and tourism because decisions taken about the national carrier could not be taken independently of the country’s tourism strategy. He insisted the government should shoulder the responsibility as it knew what the situation at Air Malta was like before the last election.