The Nationalist Party has called for an urgent parliamentary debate on the new airline replacing Air Malta, just moments before the government announces details and changes to the airline on Monday.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Finance Minister Clyde Caruana are holding a press conference on Air Malta at the Malta International Airport during which details on the fate of the airline are expected to be given.
Parliament reconvenes after the summer recess on Monday, and during a House Business Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said both Abela and Caruana will have ministerial statements commenting on the changes to the national airline later in parliament.
He said Abela and Caruana will have 15 minutes each to address parliament, followed by a 10-minute session for Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech and 10 minutes for the PN spokesperson on the subject. This will be followed by questions from Opposition members and backbenchers.
Nationalist Party whip Robert Cutajar asked the government to suspend parliament’s agenda for Monday’s session and to schedule an emergency debate on the changes to the national airline.
The government refused, stating Monday’s session will begin with the ministers’ statements.
“Is this not a subject of national emergency,” Cutajar asked the committee after government MPs shot down the calls for a debate.
The Opposition had walked out of parliament in April after the finance minister objected to a request for an urgent parliamentary debate on Air Malta.
“The government is refusing to discuss and debate on an issue of national importance,” Cutajar continued.
“We are following regulations,” government whip and MP Andy Ellul interrupted.
Government to table media reforms report
The government will also table the report of the Committee of Media Experts on proposed changes to media laws on Monday.
Last week, the council of the Institute of Maltese Journalists said it would publish the report itself if the government did not do so by today.
The PN is calling on the government to withdraw three draft laws on media reform and instead publish a white paper indicating how it will ensure media protection.
Work to reform local media laws began in January 2022, when the government announced that it had appointed an eight-person committee to assess local laws and advise on how they could be improved.
Government whip Andy Ellul said the budget speech will take place on October 30, and that the vote will take place on November 7.