The PN on Friday urged the government to be transparent over its plans for the national KM Malta Airlines.

The party's call for clarification comes after Clyde Caruana told a Times of Malta event on Thursday that around one-third of the airline was to be privatised.

The Finance Minister said he wanted the privatisation to happen as soon as possible.

The decision was a condition imposed on Malta by the European Commission as part of the deal giving it the go-ahead to fold Air Malta and set up a new carrier, Caruana explained on Thursday.

KM Malta Airlines was announced a year ago after government attempts at securing EU approval for a fresh injection of state aid into Air Malta failed.

On Friday the PN said the public needed to be informed about the future plans for the airline.

"Instead of the lack of communication seen so far, the government should provide clear guidelines on how this privatisation will take place, the process that will be followed, and the timeline the public can expect.

"The PN believes the process should be open and inclusive, and that workers and the general public should be consulted and involved in this process," shadow minister Mario de Marco said.

The PN spokesperson for tourism said the nationalisation and privatisation of airlines had a huge impact on the economy and employment. It was therefore important to inform the public on how the national interest would be protected and how the move would not lead to further economic uncertainty or job losses.

If the government ensures transparency and accountability, the PN believes the privatisation process could be beneficial to the Maltese economy.

The PN is calling for:

• Exact plan for how the privatisation will be carried out
• Timeline for submissions and the selection of private investors
• Steps necessary to safeguard the long-term sustainability of KM Malta Airlines
• How jobs and the future of airline workers will be protected