The new increases in Medicines Authority fees, "quietly introduced by the Government through a legal notice," will ultimately hit consumers, the Nationalist Party said.

"In other words, it is patients, vulnerable people, and the elderly who rely on healthcare who will end up suffering the consequences."

"These new tariffs, introduced without any consultation with agents or stakeholders, are nothing less than a new tax. The direct burden will fall on companies that import medicines into Malta, and this will inevitably be reflected in the retail price of medicines used across the country."

The legal notice does not only raise the application and registration fees for new medicines entering the Maltese market - in many cases by exorbitant amounts - but also increases the annual licensing fees for pharmacies, the PN said.

"But, of course, the Government boasts about giving people a €4.66 weekly increase, on which they still have to pay tax. And the Government brags about giving pensioners €10, half of which is simply the COLA increase - while now expecting them to buy medicines at even higher prices."

"The Government claims that this year's budget introduced no new taxes. Yet between one budget and the next, it introduces hidden taxes that continue piling pressure on those who depend on Malta's public health services, the PN added.

"The rising cost of medicines will also increase the burden on those who are now being forced to pay out of pocket because the essential products they need are out of stock. This comes on top of endless waiting lists for operations and the Government's failure to address the crisis of overcrowding and long queues in hospitals, which can no longer cope with the needs of Malta and Gozo. But, of course, the Government still claims it 'won a victory' for Malta in the hospital theft arbitration case."