The Nationalist Party on Monday slammed a government decision to “increase private cars and worsen traffic” instead of investing in electric buses.

“A few weeks after a budget that promised quality, and after more scandals involving the theft and fraud of public funds, confirmation quickly arrived that quality has been thrown out the window and that Robert Abela’s priorities are completely misplaced,” the PN said.

“Switching diesel-powered buses to electric ones was a crucial initiative to reduce emissions and combat Climate Change. Since these buses operate throughout the day on our roads, they should be the first priority in the electrification of Malta's vehicle fleet,” the party added in a press conference.

“Instead, Robert Abela made the meaningless decision to withdraw the allocation of these funds, leaving diesel buses on the roads while redirecting funds to more private cars, worsening traffic. This comes after the Government reduced the grant for private electric cars in the recent budget from €11,000 to €8,000,” it continued.

At a press conference held at the Marsa Park & Ride, in front of the Ħal Qormi Bus Stop, Shadow Minister for Transport Mark Anthony Sammut, Shadow Minister for Energy Ryan Callus, and Shadow Minister for Climate Change Eve Borg Bonello explained that worse still, this decision to withdraw from the agreement with the European Commission – an agreement that would have meant a €34 million EU investment in new, non-polluting buses – will also result in the loss of €7 million in EU funds for charging stations for these vehicles and another €50 million in private investment for cleaner air.

“This reckless decision by Robert Abela confirms his lack of direction and how quality is discarded with every decision he makes,” the PN MPs said.

They said that if he really needed to cut funds, Robert Abela should have reduced “wasteful spending on core Government insiders and the corruption that has engulfed his administration.”

“At a time when we are told we have the best and biggest economy in history, we find ourselves forced to choose between private electric cars and public transport vehicles. Our quality of life depends on clean air on our roads. Once again, due to Labour’s incompetence, our health will continue to suffer from the exhaust fumes of diesel-powered buses passing by while we walk along the streets. This is not a life of quality,” the party spokesperson’s said.

The PN said that it is the only solution for the Maltese people and promised electrified mass transport that will not only reduce emissions on our roads but also provide an efficient and adequate service. “Above all, we promise accountability and seriousness in public spending and in the use of European funds in the interest of the common good, not just for the privileged few.”

The Labour Party, in reply, said that what the PN wants to do is to eliminate schemes by which people are given incetives to move away from fuel-propelled cars to ones that are electric.

This Government has given among the best financial incentives to persons to change vehicles using combustion engines to electric ones. This apart from other schemes such as the scrappage scheme which will ensure that we have more environmentally sustainable vehicles, the PL said.

For those who choose to opt for an electric vehicle, a Labour government will continue to give strong incentives, not only for the purchase of a car but also regarding registration tax relief and circulation tax relief from the road licence. Strong initiatives for those who make the choice to go for a private vehicle, with the least possible environmental damage.

That is the difference between austerity measures and incentivising people, the PL said.