In the light of developments in the Air Malta situation, the Nationalist Party (PN) is insisting that investment in the national airline should come from local sources. This is the way forward for Air Malta, the PN said in a press release issued this morning.

Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil said this during a meeting with the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), where the latter presented their proposals for the upcoming budget.

Dr Busuttil said that the Opposition has observed the takeover of Air Malta by Alitalia as a concerning situation due to the importance and implications of such a move going wrong.

“If the Government is going to continue the way it is, it could be too late to reverse any damage caused,” he said.  

He announced that for the second year running, the PN will be presenting its pre budget document with concrete proposals on how “we can manage together” (nirnexxu lkoll flimkien). He said that tomorrow, the deputy leader for Parliamentary work and Shadow Minister for Finances Mario De Marco will be meeting with social partners within the Maltese Council for Economic and Social development to hear their proposals for the upcoming budget.   

The executive leader of the MHRA Andrew Agius Muscat explained his vision for the association within the tourism sector, as well as other sectors, while presenting the document ‘Creating Shared Value’ with proposals for the upcoming budget. On the issue of Air Malta, he said the MHRA has been saying for six years that investment should come from local sources. 

Shadow Minister for the Economy Claudio Grech and Spokesperson for tourism Antoine Borg were also present for the meeting with the MHRA.