Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi accused the Labour Party today of having a national inferiority complex and still being euro sceptic, saying this will endanger the achievements Malta made as a European Union member state.

Dr Gonzi told a press conference at the Valletta Waterfront that Malta was lucky that Labour leader Alfred Sant has been in opposition for all these years. But even from the Opposition he had expressed ideas which, if implemented, would have destabilised the country and the standard of living, including the proposal to devalue the lire, the proposal to renegotiate parts of Malta’s accession agreement with the EU, the opposition to the introduction of the euro and his opposition to low-cost carriers.

When Dr Sant was Prime Minister for just 22 months between 1996 and 1998, Dr Gonzi said, the deficit increased by 10 per cent, unemployment soared by 1,565, VAT was abolished and CET introduced with a tax of up to 29 per cent on certain products, he changed the stipend system into a loan, introduced a tax on every door and increased drastically the price of water and electricity.

Dr Gonzi described as “irresponsible,” Labour plans halve the surcharge and argued that since overtime will not be taxed, employees would be paid at normal rates rather than at time-and-a-half.

“We have a track record which is not based on political opinions. These are facts. The PN is a guarantee of more employment opportunities which is a difference to what Malta will face is Alfred Sant is in government since he is still sceptical about Europe,” he said.