The PN on Monday slammed the government for diverting EU funds that were meant to be used to electrify Malta’s public transport to fund subsidies for electric private cars.
By encouraging the use of private cars, the government would make the traffic situation on the island even worse, three party spokespeople told a press conference at the Marsa park-and-ride on Monday.
Last week, the PN revealed that the government had "secretly" withdrawn plans to receive over €40 million in EU funding to spend on updating Malta’s bus fleet.
As a result, the private company that runs the public transport system said its plans to electrify Malta’s bus fleet “cannot go ahead”.
In reply to questions by Times of Malta, Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed the funds that were going to be used for the project will instead go to people to electrify their private cars.
But for the PN, switching diesel-powered buses to electric ones would have been a crucial initiative to reduce emissions and combat climate change.
"Since these buses operate throughout the day on our roads, they should be the first priority in the electrification of Malta's vehicle fleet.
"Instead, Robert Abela made the meaningless decision to withdraw the allocation of these funds, leaving diesel buses on the roads while redirecting funds to more private cars, worsening traffic. This comes after the government reduced the grant for private electric cars in the recent budget from €11,000 to €8,000."
Spokespeople Mark Anthony Sammut, Ryan Callus, and Eve Borg Bonello told the media on Monday that the decision to withdraw from the €34 million agreement with the European Commission would also result in the loss of €7 million in EU funds for charging stations and another €50 million in private investment for cleaner air.
"This reckless decision by Abela confirms his lack of direction and how quality is discarded with every decision he makes.
"If he really needed to cut funds, Abela should have reduced wasteful spending on core government insiders and the corruption that has engulfed his administration," they said, adding that quality of life depended on clean air.
They added that due to PL's incompetence, people's health will continue to suffer from the exhaust fumes of diesel-powered buses passing past pedestrians.
"The PN is the only solution for the Maltese people. We promise electrified mass transport that will not only reduce emissions on our roads but also provide an efficient and adequate service.
"Above all, we promise accountability and seriousness in public spending and in the use of European funds in the interest of the common good, not just for the privileged few."
PL reacts
Reacting to the PN's press conference, the PL said in a statement the Opposition's true colours were revealed on Monday morning.
"Under a Nationalist government, the thousands of grants given for a person to switch from traditional fuel to electrification of a vehicle will no longer be given," the PL claimed.
The party said that a Labour government will, on the other hand, continue providing incentives to those who opt for an electric vehicle. The incentives will not just apply to the purchase of a car but also when it comes to the registration and circulation tax relief from the road licence.
"Strong initiatives for those who make the choice to go for a private vehicle, with the least possible environmental damage."
That is the difference between austerity measures and incentivising people.