With its conduct in Parliament during the debate on the Opposition's Motion on the rising cost of living, the Government clearly showed that it places the quality of life and living standards of the Maltese and Gozitans at the bottom of its priorities, the Nationalist Party said.

"Labour proved once again that it is not on the people's side."

"On the other hand, the PN reaffirmed that it is listening to people's struggles."

The PN said that since the Labour Government has "completely ignored the Opposition's solutions to address the cost-of-living crisis, a new Nationalist Government will be required to implement these measures in its first budget."

During a press conference outside the Ministry of Finance, Shadow Ministers Claudette Buttigieg and Charles Azzopardi said that the government, on an issue that affects all Maltese and Gozitan families, "showed how out of touch it is with the realities faced by wage earners, young people, the elderly, pensioners reliant on social benefits, employers, small and medium-sized businesses, and the self-employed."

"First, it attempted to erase the Opposition's motion, replacing the PN's proposed solutions with self-congratulatory wording through an amendment submitted by Minister Miriam Dalli. Then, when the Opposition Leader proposed an amendment to the Government's amendment, Labour's Parliamentary Whip Naomi Cachia objected, arguing that it did not follow procedure."

This Government's actions against Maltese and Gozitan families became even clearer when it sought a ruling to have the counter-amendments proposed by the PN declared inadmissible, the party said.

The two Shadow Ministers also said that, "contrary to the usual parliamentary practice for Opposition Motions, the Government insisted that no vote be taken at the end of Thursday's debate, postponing it to a later session in the coming weeks."

"This, in itself, further exposes the government's insensitivity, as it refused to vote immediately on an issue that directly affects all Maltese and Gozitan families. This was despite the fact that all Government MPs who spoke during the debate - including Prime Minister Robert Abela himself - spoke against the PN's Motion and its proposed solutions to address the rising cost of living."

Claudette Buttigieg and Charles Azzopardi also said that, after making his intervention during the session, the Prime Minister "did not even have the decency to remain in the House of Representatives to listen to his own colleagues, let alone hear the cries of the people. With complete disregard, Abela left the Chamber, showing indifference to the Opposition's proposals."

They outlined "the solutions the PN is offering the Government." These include: The removal of tax on any increases in wages and pensions related to the cost of living, ensuring workers and pensioners fully benefit from the raise; Tax credits for employers as an incentive to compensate for wage increases, allowing businesses to reinvest and create more jobs; The creation of a national fund to provide financial support to Maltese and Gozitan importers and exporters to reduce costs that contribute to the rising cost of living; A shift in the country's economic model from uncontrolled and unplanned population growth to a model based on new economic sectors that generate better-paying jobs, the party said.

The Shadow Ministers said that Thursday's Motion concluded a week of parliamentary debates that illustrated the difference between the two parties.

"At the start of the week, Labour pushed a law through Parliament to strip people of their right to request a Magisterial Inquiry, protecting themselves and their associates from corruption investigations. On the other hand, with Thursday's Motion, the PN presented solutions to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and help people address their problems. Proposals that are largely supported by the majority of social partners in our country, who also agree with the new economic model being proposed by the PN."

"Labour only thinks of itself. The PN thinks of you and your family. While the Labour Party ignores you, we put you at the centre with concrete proposals to fight the daily challenges you face so that you can live better," concluded the two spokespersons.