The Ministry for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications said there had been no need for consultation with the social partners over the surcharge on water and electricity bills because the mechanism to draw up the increase had already been agreed to with the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

The ministry, however, said that it will resort to consultations when the time comes to change the actual surcharge system with new tariffs.

"Effective consultation would again be needed with the constituted bodies before the government takes the decisions it has to take in the national interest. This is the commitment of the government and it intends to stick to it," the ministry said.

The ministry was reacting to statements by MCESD member organisations which complained about the government's failure to consult them before raising the surcharge on water and electricity bills from 50 per cent to 95 per cent to reflect the hike in global fuel prices.

The ministry said the mechanism to implement the surcharge, which is drawn up on the basis of the price Enemalta pays for fuel to generate electricity, was introduced following effective consultation with the MCESD.

Methodologies and alternative formulas had then been discussed and agreement was reached within the Council that the existent mechanism, which has been applied since 2005, was the most economically and socially fair.

The ministry said that, except for a revision which is completely linked to the increase in the international cost of fuel, there was nothing different to what had been agreed with the MCESD on other surcharge reviews.

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