It would be irresponsible of the government to promise it would reduce water and electricity rates as Nationalist MP Franco Debono is requesting, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said.
Dr Debono wrote in his blog this morning that unless the government lowers water and electricity bills "it is heading into big problems for the next budget".
But the Finance Minister said the government was working on a responsible budget. He invited Dr Debono to put forward proposals he might have through which the government could slash these rates responsibly.
In his latest blog entry, Dr Debono says that while some people are one holiday, others are struggling to make ends meet "especially due to inhumane and cruel utility bills which have burdened Maltese families for the past years".
These bills, he says were introduced by "the bully" (Austin Gatt) "who decided to play his antics once again on his favourite victim - the whole Maltese population".
Recalling that he had objected to the increases in Parliament, he wished the Prime Minister a good holiday but said "let it be clear that if this burden is not going to be lifted from Maltese families then the government is heading into big problems for the next Budget".
Dr Debono said:
"Bullies have no place in politics, let alone in the politics of a small island. Bullies have debased politics and brought the troubled situation we are in now. Bullies mean trouble and more bullies."
Dr Debono also attacked Dr Gatt in another entry today.
He said that the problem of the January reshuffle was that Dr Gatt was not removed from cabinet.
"Can this country tolerate a minister (Austin Gatt) and his band of merry men in various government boards and entities playing musical chairs, committing one blunder after the other, not resigning after BWSC, not resigning after Arriva, burdening the Maltese population with cruel water and electricity bills, declares he is not even contesting the next elections, and he continues to act and is allowed to act by the prime Minister as if he is an untouchable li hadd ma jista ghalih?
"What does a Prime Minister expect if he allows someone to ride roughshod over everyone and to bully his colleagues with impunity? Isn't that a bad example not just to the whole country but also to the parliamentary group? Where is team spirit?
"Why is Austin Gatt allowed to have multiple political lives, whilst others ideas and opportunities have to survive multiple abortion attempts?
"Austin Gatt's attitude, which for years has brought feelings of utter disgust in thousands of Maltese people, including Nationalists, is the attitude which has caused untold harm to the PN parliamentary group, the party and the government."
Dr Debono said that people do not like bullies.
"Someone who is confrontational by nature does not become a doer because he exhibits his bullying tactics and gives vent to his anger, with the excuse of getting things done.
"The public transport reform, without Austin Gatt's bullying character, would have succeeded," he said.