The budget is the continuation of an economic plan 'that failed,' Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said in Parliament on Monday.

He was delivering his official reaction to the budget for next year.

Grech launched an attack on the government's handling of the economy and its budget for next year.

He described it as a budget that offers no direction or solutions for those passing through difficult times. "It offers no long-term vision for the country, that is so needed by workers, employers, self-employed and businesses. It is simply a cosmetic budget," he said, arguing that it doesn't really address the cost of living, or the traffic problems.

 On traffic, he said that it is resulting in stagnation on roads, which is bad for the environment, a waste of time and is an extra cost on businesses.

He said that with this budget, the government was more focused on "painting a surreal picture," while "ignoring the realities that people are living through." He said that there are people whose wages and pensions are not serving them each month.

"Those close to the government are taking all they can, but you can only take the crumbs, if that," Grech said.

In three legislatures, the Labour Party has "uglified and sold Malta," he said, adding that the quality of life has deteriorated. "More than 2/3rds of youths see no future in the country and only see one abroad."

He said that Family Minister Micheal Falzon last week confirmed that many families are going through a hard time. Falzon urged the public to help children with food and other things, Grech said, referring to the Children's Dreams initiative.

Children's Dreams is a project with the sole mission of making the Christmas wishes come true for the children identified by FSWS, who come from families facing social and financial difficulty, and also children being raised in Children's Homes.

He read out some of these dreams. "Luca, 15 years-old, asking for a voucher so family can buy food. Rebecca, 8 years old, saying her family is passing through troubling times and don't have food," he said. Another child who lived in a residential home wanted to see her natural mother, but is worried that she would not have enough food in her home to feed her, he said, highlighting the problems being faced in the country. 

Grech urged the government to "stop corruption" so that these children can be fed. He also told government to stop giving jobs to incompetent people.

Social justice is achieved by being there for the people, he said.

"This budget has no plan for tomorrow."

He said that the government doesn't consult.

The first budget cut came from the university, he said, arguing that "it is more important for the government to spend on awards made to pay those close to it, than education," added.

Grech hit out at government debt. "The debt you created and will continue to create as you have no clue of how to create wealth, is the worst tax, a tax on our youths and our children. This is a budget with the worst tax possible, debt, through which you have burdened the Maltese people."

Grech said that during Covid-19, the government said it would need to go €1,500 million in debt because of Covid, "but they burdened Malta with double that debt, €3,000 million." He said that this debt is a burden on the future of the country, and that it amounts to no less than €5,000 for every person, arguing that the extra used from the debt was wasted on the inner circle or to "buy votes."

He said that the government's plan is to go further into debt, with a further €1 billion.

He also hit out at the government's handling of the economy, saying that it was a plan based solely on growing the population. "The only vision it had was the policy of cheap labour." He hit out at the exploitation of foreign workers, also saying that this affects the dignity of both Maltese and foreign workers.

This is a critical time for our country, he said, "especially for businesses as all the world is coming out of a two-year pandemic.

Starting from a ground zero, the economic situation should serve as a new start, he said.

He mentioned that while the situations have created challenges, it also offers the chance for economic regeneration.

The EU is also offering new opportunities, such as millions of euros to help countries, businesses and families make digital changes and ones which are environmentally sustainable.

This budget was a perfect opportunity to begin to shape the future, he said, to compete with other countries. "It looks like the government drafted a budget with the aim to survive just another day".

Referring to his previous statement, calling the budget, a 'budget in the red', he said he was not only referring to the "financial disaster," but said "it is also in the red in terms of ideas."

More of the same

He said that the government "not only doesn't have ideas for tomorrow," but seems to have given up solving problems, like construction, which he said was "more of the same from Labour."

He made reference to an EY survey, which found that many companies are not finding workers with the skills they need.

He said that many youths are concerned about their mental health "yet the government found it okay to slash funds for the Richmond Foundation's helpline".

He said that this budget is one where the government is doing whatever it takes to try and stand out, move away from Joseph Muscat's government. "but this is the same government!" he said, stressing that many in the PL benches were there to vote for greed over the years.

He said that the government said that it was going to eradicate poverty, but now is going to have to help around 80,000 people to survive. "They also gave us the impression that the government was going to chase after people (...) They told us they are going to create a new social middle class," he said.

The government also said that families would not need to work a second job, yet many are doing so to survive rather than to improve their lives, Grech said.

"They have also created a new living poor" rather than introducing the living wage, he said.

Grech spoke about corruption, direct orders and their effects.

He mentioned the government's planned metro project, saying that the Transport Minister said that the studies have concluded, yet it was not mentioned in the budget speech.

The government has also said that youths will be able to buy property, he said, yet added that it is not true.

Grech addressed the energy bills, arguing that the Auditor General said that there was €10 million in theft on electricity bills every year, adding that the Maltese courts confirmed this. He pledged that the PN will be at the forefront helping the people on this issue.

He said that the government said that the country will bring new investments, "yet this is not true" as the investments that are bearing fruit are those made by PN in past, such as aviation, pharmaceuticals and igaming.

He turned to the Steward Health Care deal. "You know it is a corrupt contract," Grech said. He urged the Prime Minister to, during his speech in Parliament on Tuesday, declare he will stop the contract. "Yet I have no doubt that you will not do so and continue be complicit. The PN knows you cannot do this as your hands are tied."

The government had also been guaranteeing a better quality, yet this has been removed from Valletta Residents with the 1am noise law, he said.

Turning to the police, he commented on the number of police commissioners over the past years, and the demotivation of the police force. He said that their obligation is to protect the nation.

They also gave false hope to elderly, he said, arguing that the government said they are going to have a better quality of life, yet the pension is not enough.

He said that the country is facing the worst Cost of Living in the past 40 years, and that this is affecting pensioners and many families who are on the brink of poverty. Food banks, he said, are not coping with the amount of people making requests.

Addressing workers, he said that the new COLA cost is going to be taxed, and employers are going to have to fork it out from their own pockets.

The majority of the population, even middle class, have had to rethink their priorities and ditch luxuries such as going out to eat and vacations, he said.

 "This means a worse quality of life".

Traffic

Grech targeted the traffic problem.

The transport minister, Grech said, had commented that this was due to feasts and traffic accidents, and also said it was the fault of the police.

Traffic for the transport minister is just an "illusion", Grech said.

He turned to the Marsa flyover corruption allegations, arguing that he expects the prime minister or a minister to provide an update on the developments following the reports of said corruption.

The PN Leader also spoke about the work-life balance. He said that it has always been a priority for the PN. He said, however, that the government left it to the last minute and did the minimum to comply with the directive.

The PN wants to better these conditions for there to be a balance between employer and employees, he said.

Turning to education, he criticised the slash in funding. He also criticised the budget speech for having only contained three pages for education, and also mentioned recycled proposals.

The teaching profession is also not being given the required attention, he said.

Grech also spoke about the environment, and said that there are no solutions for climate change in the budget.

Health

Turning to the health sector, Grech said that the government said that it was going to announce the biggest project, the outpatients building. The government has been saying it was going to build this for the last five years, he commented, while adding that a building with a lot of parking was also promised.

These promises have still not been fulfilled, he said.

."If priority projects take more than five years, then how long will those that aren't a priority take?"

If this was built five years ago it would have cost €10 million less than if it were to be built now, Grech said.

Turning to Mt Carmel Hospital, he said that four years ago the government said that it was from the time of Charles Dickens, and that it was going to be modernised, "yet here we are still in the modernising process."

He also mentioned a Mother and Child hospital of 230 beds that had been announced, but said it was not built.

Grech indicated that the budget for maintenance of equipment at Mater Dei Hospital was reduced, when the amount of equipment increased.

He mentioned other problems regarding nurses and medicines.

The reason for many problems in the hospitals is because of Vitals Global Healthcare and Steward Health Care, he said, yet they are going to be given €82 million this coming year.

He said that Steward Health Care made €6 million profit last year, adding that they have a €37 million bill as "they had not paid VAT."

Energy

Turning to the energy sector, he questioned how many millions were spent on sustaining Shanghai Electric, SOCAR and Electrogas. He also took aim at 17 Black, Egrant, Hearnville and Tillgate.

He said that the energy sector cannot continue to be corrupted.

Grech said that the government is confirming that it is not going to give the money that it took from families through the wrong energy bills,  but would give €8.

He said that €90 million from the nation has been stolen.

He said that in Europe, the pace has quickened for renewable energy. He said that the PN hat wanted offshore and wind energy, but the government had removed it from the national strategy, and instead bought a wind farm in Montenegro.

He said that last year the PN again pushed for an offshore windfarm, and is now pleased that the government is endorsing it.

The PN, he said, believes that Malta can become a hub in the energy sector when it comes to wind farms.

Gozo has also been forgotten, Grech argued, saying that not even a single chapter on Gozo was included in the budget, apart from recycled proposals.

He also said that the Malta to Gozo tunnel was forgotten.

The only thing that has been given to Gozo is a second hand ferry, he said.

The elderly home in Ghajnsielem, even after 10 years is still in shell form.

As for the environment, he said that its conservation needs to be a priority, and that a plan is needed, one that adheres to EU standards.

He also said that more tools should be given to local councils, arguing that the government does not believe in them.

Grech also addressed Malta's past greylisting, saying that it will leave a mark on the country, which needs to recover.

On the proposed media bills, instead of withdrawing the bills and insisting on holding a public consultation, the government is letting others do it, he said.  "They forgot what the Daphne inquiry concluded"