The PN this morning blasted the Finance Minister's comments on Eurostat after Professor Scicluna yesterday called one of its publications fake (fazull).

"This is shameful behaviour and the Minister should know better than to attack an international and independent institution that carries out its work with great attention."

The PN said this is not the first time that Edward Scicluna has attacked a statistics agency. He also launched an attack on Malta's National Statistics Office in October.

"Professor Scicluna has been spending too much time with Joseph Muscat and, like him, he has learnt how to sling mud whenever he is cornered. The only fake (fazull) thing is the four-hour speech given by the Finance Minister on Monday, which lacked direction and a just distribution of wealth."