Opposition leader Simon Busuttil yesterday questioned whether the Government planned to privatise Air Malta given that nothing was being said about the progress of the national airline’s restructuring programme.
“What stage has the restructuring programme reached? What guarantee do we have that it will be completed successfully? What are the Government’s intentions? Is it planning to privatise?” he asked a room full of people working in the tourism sector.
He was speaking during the Nationalist Party’s first policy seminar that aimed to listen to the views of people working in tourism.
Dr Busuttil drew a parallel with the Government’s decision to sell a minority shareholding in Enemalta to a Chinese company, despite saying in its electoral manifesto that it did not plan to privatise the State energy provider.
It’s a mistake to think that tourism will grow on thin air
He pointed out that if the five-year Air Malta restructuring programme was not successful, the European Commission would not allow the Government to subsidise the financially strained airline again.
The €130 million subsidy given by the Government was approved by the Commission in May 2011 as a “one time, last time” subsidy, he said.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he was still waiting for Air Malta’s restructuring results. A few days later Air Malta announced that financial results were in line with the targets set out in the restructuring plan approved by the Commission.
Dr Busuttil yesterday said the PN was proud of the results it achieved in tourism.
Using Dr Muscat’s favourite catch phrase, Dr Busuttil said it was time for the Government to start “walking the talk” and start governing.
He said the Government had not come out with new ideas in the tourism sector.
“It’s a mistake to think that tourism will grow on thin air,” he said.
In a statement issued yesterday the Labour Party said that on being elected PL leader, Dr Muscat had said he was willing to cooperate with the then Nationalist Government to save Air Malta.