The Nationalist Party's document reacting to Malta Vision 2050 is one which presents "a position without a position", Labour Party MPs Alex Muscat and Naomi Cachia said on Friday, in the PL's first reaction to the PN document.

Muscat said that the PN document has been presented in November despite initially being set for September, as that is when the consultation for Malta Vision 2050 was to conclude.

He added that despite over 2,000 organisations having been able to send their submissions in time, the PN had requested an extension, and the government accepted that request because it "wanted the vision to be a holistic one". Muscat continued that the PN was granted an extension of 50 days, but that the PN ultimately needed an additional 12 days as the document was not ready by the end of October.

Muscat commented that the reality is that when reading the PN's document, "one would realise how hastily it has been written". He added that "the most consistent thing in this document is actually its inconsistency".

Muscat said that the PN document talks about the positive qualities of Malta Vision 2050 and states that the vision sets ambitious and measurable targets, but that in a report published by the PN's media wing, it is then stated that the vision for the country should be more ambitious.

"So they say it is ambitious, then they say it is not ambitious enough, and later in the same document they say it is too ambitious and potentially unrealistic... Total confusion, and it is not the only inconsistency in the document," Muscat said.

Cachia remarked that it is clear from the document that the Opposition "does not know what we have, let alone what we should have". She further commented that the PN's document seems to have been hastily done despite coming late.

The Government Whip said that PN Leader Alex Borg has previously proposed a number of measures that already exist, "such as equity sharing and stipends for certain courses being equal to minimum wage," as she added that the same has happened in the PN document.

She spoke of how the document states that it is important that big projects undergo transparency cost-benefit and environmental assessments, but she said that this obligation is already the case. She continued that before any consent is given for a project likely to have significant impact on the environment, then such projects shall be subject to an assessment of their effects on the environment.

Cachia said that Borg also seems to be unaware of the function of the Gozo Regional Development Authority, as she said that the PN document says that there is a need to introduce statutory impact assessments in Gozo for all major policies and permits. She commented that this is already the case, as the GRDA's "most important role is to ensure that a regional impact assessment is carried out" when ministries intend to present major new projects and services to the cabinet which may affect Gozo.

She added that the document also states that there should be a national debate on population and migration policy, and commented that it is therefore very good that the government had established the labour migration policy some months ago.