The government was destroying Malta’s reputation in the financial services sector, Opposition leader Adrian Delia said on Friday during a meeting with European Commissioner of Justice Věra Jourová.

Dr Delia said the government was not taking decisions aimed at safeguarding the sector. Malta’s financial system was good but the government had allowed few people to abuse it through serious shortcomings through poor due diligence tests and the licence given to Pilatus Bank to operate from Malta.

He said that the passport sale scheme had also been detrimental to Malta’s reputation. Rather than attract real investment which created new sectors, it was now becoming clear that the scheme was creating problems. Although businesses were creating wealth, the government was creating poverty. This was because the economy was growing by population rather than production.

Dr Delia and Commissioner Jourová also discussed irregular migration. He said that while Malta should continue to safeguard its international obligations, national interest had to come first. Humanitarian issues had to, however, be given every consideration. Immigration, he said, was a European problem and the European Union had to act for Malta not to end facing the problem on its own.