The Prime Minister’s continued defence of Minister Konrad Mizzi is a blow to Malta’s reputation, Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia said today.

Minister Mizzi this week said he regretted opening a secret company in Panama, with former minister Helena Dalli saying she would have done things differently in his case when she was asked by Euro-MPs during her hearing to become European Commissioner.

But, after Dalli’s admission, Muscat continued to defend Mizzi when he knows that the minister should have been kicked out, Delia said on the PN radio station.

What Mizzi regrets is that he was caught, he added.

Speaking on the upcoming budget for 2020, Delia said that the country should create wealth that is enjoyed by everyone, not the few. The government’s idea to increase the economy via population growth is creating huge difficulties. The price of essential items is on the rise and many people cannot make ends meet because their wages remain low.

This pressure is also being felt by the middle class, he said, adding that the PN pre-budget document addresses these issues.

He said that teachers have lost motivation because of their conditions of work, and the government is trying to patch things up by importing teachers. The PN pre-budget document speaks of ways how there should be more investment in this profession.

Instead of a new school every year, we have ended up with more containers used as classrooms every year, Delia said.

He said a recent survey showed that property has become less affordable and that demand for property is experiencing a slowdown. This is a major problem particularly for young couples wishing to form a family, he said.