The Nationalist Party, in a statement, said that in a press conference that lasted more than one hour the journalists present were not given any document to explain the proposals made by the Labour Party. The PN is demanding that the people should be given a detailed explanation for the PL’s proposals to be analysed seriously. Put all your cards on the table, the PN said. The PL should publish all documents related to the proposals, including those drawn up by the PL’s consultants; the proposals that the PL received from private companies, the dates of when the meetings were held, details on negotiations that took place and which Dr Muscat said that they were “not a done deal”. The PN also said that the PL should also say whether companies or individuals it met on this particular issue had donated any money to the party or to any candidate. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi separately gave his own initial reaction to Labour’s proposals when he answered to questions made by the press at a PN activity in Naxxar. He said that the government has strived to keep energy tariffs as low as possible, but emphasised that it sought to do so in a sustainable manner. While stressing that he and his party still had to analyse Labour’s proposals in detail, he said that his first impressions were that they were largely in line with what the government had been considering and proposing. Government’s own national energy policy had been unveiled last month. Asked further on the issue in a subsequent political activity, Dr Gonzi said that he expected Labour to publish all its technical reports today. He pointed out that the government's plans focused on the electricity interconnector and on the setting up of a gas pipeline: Labour's plans, he added, are not clear. The most important thing is to have sustainable rates otherwise we will end up with financial problems. To keep the present rates, the government is forking out €25 million a year and an additional amount to help low income earners and those on financial benefits pay subsidised energy prices.  Any plans presented must be backed by reports and these are to be analysed by experts.  PN ‘taken by surprise’, Labour insists In its response to the PN’s statements, however, Labour insisted that the PN had clearly been shocked by its announcement, as it could not understand that by doing things properly, a way to reduce energy bills as well as emissions could be found. It said that Dr Gonzi had lost all credibility in the sector, pointing out how a person took a €4 million commission over the €200 million Delimara power station extension, and how a contractor who backs the PN was supposedly picked out of the Yellow Pages, among other things. Labour also insisted that the PN government’s bad decisions on energy would lead to further increases in electricity rates in the future. In a further reaction, the PN reiterated its position and said that after the PL kept the people in the dark for five years, the PL and Dr Muscat were being stubborn and are refusing to give the details requested. They should publish all the information requested, the PN said.