Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today that the people should in the Budget benefit from a wage rise which went beyond the cost of living increase, or tax cuts

Speaking in a Radio Malta interview, he said the Budget should ensure that the people had an adequate standard of living by either a wage increase beyond the cost of living raise, or tax cuts.  

Dr Busuttil said a 58c cost of living raise would be inadequate and the government needed to act to ensure the people had more money in their pockets.

It was useless of the government to say it had reduced domestic electricity rates when the people still did not have more money in their pocket.

Dr Busuttil hit out at the government for not having reduced petrol and diesel prices despite the drop in international prices.

He reiterated his concerns about rising government debt saying the rate of increase this year was the highest since Malta joined the EU.