The Nationalist Party has called on the government to come clean on its talks with the EU about state aid for Air Malta, amid reports that only a small part of Malta's requests have been accepted by the European Commission.

"The silence, secrecy and lack of dialogue by the government on Air Malta has reached a level of absurdity that is high, even by the standards of a government which has thrown all principles of transparency out of the window," shadow finance minister Mario de Marco said in a statement. 

He said the government was continuing to exclude everyone from efforts to save the national airline, including parliament, the trade unions, and the employees. As a result, hundreds of workers and their families were living in uncertainty. 

It was now time for Prime Minister Robert Abela to explain the situation and take decisions, without waiting for the election to be held first.  

In April last year Malta asked Brussels for permission to pump €290 million into Air Malta in a last-ditch attempt to save the ailing airline.

The government suggested a five-year state aid financing plan which, it said, would help turn Air Malta into a sustainable, profit-making, enterprise.  

At the time, the finance minister, Clyde Caruana, had said Air Malta was losing more than €170,000 daily but he was working on “an honest and credible” plan to allow the country to help the flag carrier. 

Under normal circumstances, European Union governments are forbidden to give financial support to private, or even state entities, to ensure a level playing field among all economic players.

However, this restriction was eased by the European Commission in the wake of the devastating effect that the virus outbreak had on certain sectors like travel and aviation.

In July Times of Malta reported that Brussels has sent Malta’s request back to the drawing board, with the government being asked to come up with a smaller, “more realistic” aid figure.

Last week, Air Malta said it was reducing flight frequencies because of a lack of demand, although all routes would be kept open.