Prime Minister Robert Abela has been totally absent after the latest crisis in the energy sector, with most of Gozo spending hours on end without power after two major faults in the grid, Opposition Leader Alex Borg said Saturday.

In a social media post, Borg questioned the silence from the Prime Minister in this critical scenario, saying that the last time Abela spoke about the energy crisis was to criticise Enemalta employees who were doing their best to restore power.

Borg praised Enemalta workers for the services they are offering to make up for the "political incompetence" of Abela and his government.

The problem will not be solved overnight, Borg said, because the government failed to make the necessary plans to deal with the growing demands. "This is not the first summer in which we are facing a crisis," he said.

Political responsibility must be shouldered, Borg said, also mentioning Energy Minister Miriam Dalli as having failed the sector. Dalli, he said, has been minister responsible for energy for several years.

There has been no response by Abela for this crisis, Borg said.

In a separate statement, the PN expressed its full solidarity with the people of Gozo, who have now been severely affected by the power cuts crisis brought about by the incompetence of Robert Abela's Government.

Last night was a long, difficult and worrying one for many Gozitans: families, elderly people, babies and vulnerable persons, as well as numerous business owners who were faced with losses, damage and serious difficulties after being left without electricity for long hours. Some are still without power even now.

It is unacceptable that, year after year, the same problem continues to worsen and, despite all the Government's promises and assurances, remains unresolved, the PN said.

This is no longer an isolated case or an exceptional incident, but a recurring situation that is directly affecting the daily lives of our families and businesses.

It is clear that, when it comes to energy, the government has failed. The people of Gozo and Malta no longer want excuses. "They want solutions. They want investment. They want long-term planning and, above all, concrete action," the PN said.

What we are experiencing today is the result of years of inadequate long-term planning, insufficient investment and a failure to act to ensure that the country's electricity infrastructure is capable of meeting Malta's growing needs and the challenges of today and tomorrow.

This situation is unacceptable. The public cannot continue paying the price for failures for which they should not be held responsible.

Minister Miriam Dalli must answer to the public and shoulder political responsibility. Without further delay.

At the same time, we must thank Enemalta's workers, who have worked, and continue to work, long hours without respite to address the faults and restore the electricity supply. These workers deserve every recognition for their efforts; however, responsibility for planning and investment lies with the Government.

The statement was signed by Frank Anthony Tabone, Shadow Minister for Gozo, and Mark Anthony Sammut, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Energy.