UPDATED 7pm:
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had found the money to travel to Serbia to follow Malta's historic participation in the European Waterpolo Championships but "ignored" three proposals made by the Nationalist Party.
The government failed to accept proposals made by the Nationalist Party in connection with the Maltese waterpolo national team's participation after it qualified for the final phase of the championships starting in Belgrade tomorrow.
The PN had suggested the possibility of training waterpolo players on a full-time basis. It also called on the national broadcaster to buy the rights to screen live Malta's matches.
It also called for special arrangements to enable Maltese fans to visit Belgrade to lend their support.
But in a statement, PN spokesman David Agius today said the government had ignored all proposals. The players were not given the facility to train full-time and had to apply for vacation leave to train.
No matches will be screened on TVM and there will be no large numbers of fans accompanying the team to Serbia.
Yet, Dr Muscat found the money to travel to Belgrade to watch the matches live, whie the Maltese have been barred from watching a championship which is on a par with the European Football Nations Cup and the Eurovision Song Contest, the PN said.
This evening, the national broadcaster said that tomorrow's match between Malta and France will be screened live on TVM2.
PM CONDEMNS 'PARTISAN STATEMENT'
But in a statement later, the government expressed disappointment that the Opposition had decided to turn a story of national unity into a partisan one.
It said Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius had discussed with the Aquatic Sports Association the best way to prepare for the championships.
The government had accepted all the requests made by the ASA, including assisting players for work they had to sacrifice to train, with the assistance of the Good Causes Fund, the Transport Authority and SportMalta.
"The Opposition is not even informed that the public broadcaster will be screening the match," the government added.
Dr Muscat will be holding talks with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, besides attending Malta's first waterpolo match against France.
In Montenegro, Dr Muscat will be holding talks with President Filip Vujanović and Prime Minister Milo Đukanović where an economic and technical cooperation agreement between the two countries is expected to be signed.
Dr Muscat will also visit the site of new windfarm in which Enemalta and its partners Shaghai Electric Power have invested with the aim of becoming an energy operator in the region. Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi will be accompanying the Prime Minister.