The PN has expressed its concern on whether Malta’s economic growth can remain sustainable since “the country registered growth as a result of public sector employment”.

The PN accused the government of trying to conceal our country’s economic problems by doing so.

In a statement in response to the NSO statistics issued this morning, the PN said that these problems have been a long time coming and it had been warning, along with the Chamber of Commerce and shop owners, the government of things to come as a result of the drastic increase in public sector employment.

The PN questioned whether the economic situation could continue growing in the long term since a third of Malta’s economic growth was a result of an increase in public sector employment, 35% per cent to be exact.

Another issue the PN raised following the NSO published statistics, is that when one considers the increase in wages in our economy, half the increases were in the public sector.

“While the government emerged satisfied with the results it garnered, economic forecasts reveal deep concern, which is proof that the government is trying its utmost to seek short term solutions only to solve issues in other sectors, such as in the manufacturing sector for instance,” the PN said.

It said that the manufacturing sector has registered a decrease once again, contrary to what the government stated recently.

The PN urged the government to respect its workers and their families by refraining from tackling the economy as some sort of numbers game.