Malta is one of only four countries who have not yet submitted their operational programmes, or proposals on how they will spend EU funds allocated for the period of 2014-2020, the PN said this morning.

Speaking at a press conference, PN MPs Marthese Portelli and Antoine Borg said Malta is lagging far behind most other EU member states and the government has not yet informed the EU on how it will allocate its €1.28 billion budget.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had insisted a few months ago that the process was in the final stages but, up till now, the government has still not sent its proposals to the EU. Malta was also one of the last countries to sign the Partnership Agreement.

Mrs Portelli said the PN had a sound track record on the absorption and allocation of EU funds, which have transformed the face of Malta. The Labour government should keep up with this rhythm. The PN is willing to help the government in this regard, she said.

Antoine Borg urged the government to pull up its socks and present its proposals. He noted that, after presenting the operation programme, tenders would have to be awarded and the projects completed before the money spent is reimbursed by the EU.

The PN MP said the last seven years were a good example of how EU funds should be obtained and utilised. Malta received around a billion euro and carried out a number of large scale projects, including TEN-T roads, the national flood relief project and the oncology centre. EU funds are crucial to increase the country's competitiveness.

Replying to questions, the two MPs said Malta registered a 91% allocation and absorption rate for the 2004-2006 EU funding programme. The present administration has until December 2015 to utilise leftover funds from the 2007-2013 programme and should not drag its feet and miss the opportunity.

The MPs denied that the PN was against using EU funds on national heritage projects. Last week, PN Leader Simon Busuttil criticised the Prime Minister for proposing to restore Villa Francia - his official residence - using EU funds. The PN is not against using EU funds on heritage projects they said. In the past years funds were used on the restoration of Fort St Angelo, Fort St Elmo and many kilometres of bastions. The Prime Minister, they said, could only come up with the idea to restore his official residence, when the money can be better spent on health, education and training programmes to reduce unemployment.

In reply, the Parliamentary Secretariat for EU Funds said the Opposition is living in a world of its own. “In the past few days the government revealed how past PN administrations only managed to absorb 33% of EU funds from the 2007-2013 programme. The figure has been doubled since March 2013 and the government aims use 100% of allocated funds by the end of 2015.

The government said its claims were backed up by a Moody’s report which said that Malta was among the worst performers. Furthermore, in its autumn forecast the European Commission said it is convinced that EU funds acquired next year will help boost economic activity.

When confronted by humiliating figures, the two PN MPs today tried to deviate from the successful absorption of funds by this government and embarked on Opposition’s usual negative tactics.