(Adds PN statement)

Judge Philip Sciberras had accepted to manage a fund where the renounced salary increases by Labour MPs would be placed to be used to assist certain institutions and families in need.

Labour leader Joseph Muscat had announced he will be renouncing the salary increase and left it up to his MPs and mayors to decide, according to their conscience, what they should do.

He said that the way the increase had been decided and its timing was insulting to Maltese families and the opposition would not be bought.

Maltese families were still in a factual recession, the fuel cost in Malta was the highest offer and workers’ conditions were worsening.

Consumption had gone down according to NSO statistics and the cost of living was rising.

Ministers, parliamentary secretaries, the Prime Minister and himself were not being given two salaries and MPs had been given a substantial increase.

Dr Muscat said that although he was willing to discuss the inadequacy of MPs salaries, the people were hurt by the way the decision was taken and its timing. Nothing had been said about the decisions and the opposition only got to know about it through parliamentary questions.

“This is not acceptable to us,” Dr Muscat said.

He said that several ways and possibilities of how the salaries could be renounced were considered and it was decided to place the renounced salaries in a fund to help charities and institutions, such as the Dar tal-Providenza and Dar Nazareth, as well as families in need.

PN STATEMENT

The Nationalist Party in a statement denied that Labour MPs did not know about the revision of MPs salaries and honoraria, Labour MPs had claimed they knew talks had been going on about this between the government and the opposition.

Opposition whip Joe Mizzi also had a meeting with the Finance Minister on the matter and an agreement was reached. Mr Mizzi also wanted MPs to continue getting free envelopes and mail.

The PN said Dr Muscat did not say that he had an income of €51,323 a year, including a €7,000 untaxable car allowance besides free internet and telephone.

And when he was a member of the European Parliament he had voted for his salary to increase from €1,295 to €7,000 a month.