The Ministry of Investment, Industry and IT yesterday rebutted allegations made by Labour party’s tourism spokesman Evarist Bartolo, who said that the Nationalist Party could not be believed in its promises about Air Malta because in the past it had fragmented the airline, deprived it of what it had and impoverished it through bad decisions such as the purchase of the RJ jets.

Mr Bartolo was referring to the PN’s promises in its electoral programme, in which it said it considered Air Malta as strategically important for the country and that it would help the airline as needed.

Before the last election, he added, the PN had promised to improve the conditions of work of the employees but in fact had done the opposite.

In a press release issued last night, the ministry said it was surprised that in one of the rare press releases issued by the opposition spokesman in the past five years, two weeks before the elections he now wants to give the impression that his party is concerned about Air Malta.

The ministry said that his statement is accompanied by canvassing being carried out by MLP employees who are trying to convince workers that an MLP government could, with a “flick of the fingers”, solve the competitive challenges faced by the airline

The truth is that the decisions taken by the Nationalist government in the past five years have allowed Air Malta to combat the challenges posed by competition and to secure employees’ jobs, the ministry said.

Among other things, the government managed to increase the company’s income by utilising opportunities of free movement within the EU, improving services and frequency in agreement with other airlines; reduce expenses; strengthen the organisation; concentrate on primary activities and pull out of subsidiaries which did not strengthen its position; Pull out of Azzurra; and sell the RJ70s.

The ministry said Mr Bartolo is promising a new beginning without stating what this entails.