It's all about greed and excess under the Labour Party, while the people foot the bill with an extra year of contributions for the pension, the Nationalist Party said in a statement on Thursday.
The PN said that with the start of the year 2025, an additional year of national insurance contributions imposed by Prime Minister Robert Abela's government have come into effect. "The inner circle pigs out while you pay," the PN remarked, adding that a new nationalist government would "give back" the additional year of contributions.
Referring to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana's presentation of the 2025 Budget during Parliament in October, the PN stated that Caruana had said that the number of years of contributions for a person to qualify for a full pension would be increasing by one year and continued that this would affect individuals born in 1976 or later, meaning that starting from 2025, the stipulated period of social security contributions rose to 42 from 41.
The Opposition remarked that no matter what the government says or how much the PL describes the situation as fake news, "the reality is that anyone born after 1976 will have to pay an additional year of contributions." It continued that this measure means that thousands of euros will no longer stay in the people's pockets, "but will instead be taken by Robert Abela to distribute among his inner circle."
The PN commented that the government "seems to have no issue awarding €78,000 annual direct order to former Minister Justyne Caruana" while the people are "being forced to pay an extra year of contributions to secure your full pension". It added that the government also does not hesitate to "hand out no less than 11 jobs or different positions on government boards to the former colleague of the Prime Minister, Ryan Pace, and his wife".
A notice was published in the Government Gazette during the Christmas holidays which stated that Justyne Caruana is earning €78,000 per year from taxpayers' money for 30 hours of work per week, paid at a rate of €50 per hour. In its statement on Thursday, the PN commented that the former Minister's current role and responsibilities "remain unclear".
It stated that while Prime Minister Abela and Finance Minister Caruana are "taking an extra year of National Insurance contributions from you", those close to them are able to continue profiting and enriching themselves. "Despite entering a new year, it's clear that public funds will keep being distributed to the inner circle," the PN said, as it made reference to PL MP Rosianne Cutajar's comment that 'everyone pigs out'.
The Opposition concluded by saying that a new nationalist government would remove the additional year of contributions "and ensure you can receive your full pension without additional burdens".