Malta registered the highest increase in the cost of living among Eurozone countries in June but the people were among the least compensated, Labour MP Anglu Farrugia said.

Addressing a news conference this afternoon, he said this increase further burdened the workers, pensioners and the vulnerable.

It led to a 37 per cent increase in the number of people living at risk of poverty bringing the number up to 82,000. It also reduced the standard of living of the working class and the self-employed.

Dr Farrugia said that, over the past year, the cost of transport had increased by 7.8 per cent, food by 5.6 per cent, education by 4.4 per cent, water, fuel, electricity and gas by four per cent and, health by 1.3 per cent.

These increases were due to the government's wrong policies.

The government was not showing any direction and was only interested in the few who belonged, such as the ministers who were given a €500 cost of living increase, along with the €1.16 received by everybody else.

The rest of the people in the country were just a number.

Dr Farrugia said the government was using taxes just to pay back the debts which had gone up to €4.3 billion.

The Labour Party would not accept or tolerate this burden. Once in government, it would make sure there was no wastage and that sensitive policies would be adopted.

The PL had plans which would be announced once the party had an opportunity to change things, he said.