Opposition Leader Alex Borg said that Prime Minister Robert Abela’s decision to announce the White Rocks project during his Budget reply was a “panic reaction” to the PN’s 50 Budget replica proposals and questioned whether Finance Minister Clyde Caruana even supported the project.
Speaking in an interview on party media on Sunday, Borg said that it was “abnormal” for Abela to suddenly introduce new projects that were not mentioned in the Budget speech itself, particularly as a direct reaction to the PN’s own 50 proposals which Borg announced during his Budget replica speech last week.
Borg said that the mention of White Rocks came out of panic and pointed to divisions between Abela and Caruana.
“We have already seen what happens when the Prime Minister and his finance minister don’t agree, like with the mass transport project. What guarantee do we have that this proposal is not another case of words without action?” he asked.
Borg said the PN’s vision places a clear emphasis on the environment and open spaces, adding that “development and nature must go hand in hand.”
Borg accused the government of presenting a Budget that completely ignores the real challenges Maltese and Gozitan families are facing, claiming that “the hype built around it contrasts sharply with the reality on the ground.”
“Despite government describing the 2026 Budget as “the best in Malta’s history,” it failed to address fundamental issues such as out-of-stock medicines, quality jobs, overpopulation, tourism, and traffic congestion,” Borg said.
“When you squeeze out the Budget’s substance, you realise the challenges the people are facing were left out. There is a huge gap between the hype and the reality,” he said.
Borg added that the Opposition had called for action on traffic and public transport, but even within government, there’s division.
“The Prime Minister talks about mass transport, but Clyde Caruana dismissed it. Then, Abela suddenly comes out with a €2 billion plan just to contradict his own minister,” he said, describing the situation as chaotic.
The PN leader also questioned the government’s credibility on healthcare, noting that the public “has lost faith” after the Steward–Vitals hospitals scandal.
“We were promised new hospitals, but there’s no sign of any investment. The Budget did not even hint at new hospitals for Malta or Gozo,” Borg said.
He criticised the government for reducing capital expenditure by €100 million next year, saying that this showed a lack of commitment to infrastructure and investment.
Referring to a recent EY survey, Borg pointed out that infrastructure was identified as one of the biggest weaknesses holding Malta back from attracting foreign investment.
“The government prefers short-term measures to patch over problems, while leaving the national challenges unsolved,” he said.
Borg said that in his parliamentary Budget reply, the PN was not only critical but also proactive and forward-looking, presenting 50 proposals as the foundation of an alternative vision for Malta and Gozo.
Among the most notable was the Child Trust Fund, which he said was “widely welcomed by experts.”
“We are not just thinking about tomorrow’s vote, but about the children who will be born next year. Every child would receive €5,000 plus interest at birth, to be used when they are older, whether for education, starting a business, or building their future,” Borg said.
He described this measure as part of a wider vision to create an ecosystem where people can study, work, raise families, and retire in dignity.
“We want a Malta and Gozo with a heartbeat, a place that guarantees a better quality of life for everyone,” he added.
‘The Steward case exposed collusion, not victory’
On the Steward Health Care tribunal arbitration ruling, Borg accused the government of misleading the public into believing that Malta had won.
“If the government truly believes Malta won, it should have no problem discussing the full ICC report in Parliament,” Borg said, insisting that “the truth must come out.”
Borg said he will do his utmost so that at the first possible chance, the government must accept discussing the full ICC report in Parliament.
“The government is in panic mode and trying to convince people we have won something, but if it weren’t for the PN and Adrian Delia’s court action, we would not even have reached this stage,” Borg said.
He said the publication of the arbitration ruling confirmed “clear collusion between Steward, Vitals, and the government.”
“The Maltese and Gozitan people lost out. €900 million were paid to Steward, €400 million of which were meant for new hospitals, yet there is no sign of that investment,” Borg said.
He pledged that a PN government would continue to push for the recovery of €488 million in public funds linked to the concession, as there was no infrastructural investment done at St Luke’s, Karin Grech, and Gozo General hospitals.
Borg also attended the SiGMA Summit in Rome, where he said he was “proud to see Malta at the forefront of the iGaming and digital economy.”
“Seeing thousands of people gather for a conference that started thanks to a Maltese entrepreneur makes you proud. We must ensure that these companies continue investing in Malta,” Borg said.
He recalled that the gaming industry was established under a previous PN government that had “the ambition to regulate and create new economic niches.”
Borg said that other countries are now copying what Malta did, and the PN wants to continue strengthening regulation while reducing unnecessary red tape.
Referring again to the EY survey, he said that Malta’s “aggressive tax system” and “PN’s economic vision” were what originally helped the island attract foreign investment, something the current government is failing to build on, he said.
Borg said that the PN’s approach is rooted in “politics of the people and for the people.”
“The importance of direct contact is essential, and the most valuable messages I receive come from the people themselves. That is the kind of politics I want to embody, one that listens, engages, and offers a credible alternative,” Borg said.