The €360 million state guarantee is discriminatory against the commercial community and creates unfair competition, the Nationalist Party said.

Addressing a press conference, Shadow Minister for the Economy Claudio Grech said that it is the first time that a business has been given such a privilege for a private project. “A company chosen for a public project should be selected because of its strength – if it is given financial support by the government, then the level playing field is not fair. If other companies knew of the possibility of state guarantee, then they might have applied. What’s worse is that the guarantee is based on tax payer’s money,” Mr Grech said.

The Shadow Minister argued that such a decision goes against the pledge of the government to be pro-business. 

PN Spokesperson Kristy Debono added that the deal is a dangerous precedent that creates unfair competition and injustice to the commercial community. “The tax payer has offered a win-win deal for Electrogas.  The government has only chosen to enter such a deal to ensure that the power station is completed within the time frame,” she said.

The PN called on the government to publish the full agreement on the state guarantee.