The 2021 Budget reflected the hazy and unclear vision of a government which had lost control as a result of placing economic above health considerations, ADPD said on Tuesday. 

The coalition between Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku said that at a time of crisis, it would have expected a creative government to come up with diversification proposals which reduced the dependence of the economy from tourism and construction. Instead, the emphasis remained on these sectors.

And although the government was giving the impression it was aiding important sectors, it was being destructive through other measures. In agriculture, for example, the government insisted on sacrificing land to satisfy its urge for more roads and roundabouts, which continued to aggravate the traffic and pollution problems.

Yet, it bragged of a strategy in favour of biodiversity when Malta faced the biggest threat to biodiversity in the world as a result of lack of planning.

It boasted of giving land at Ta’ Qali for recreation but at the same time stole from the public vast tracts of land at Aħrax and Mizieb to give to hunters.

As for the light rail recommendation, ADPD said this could only be successful if large zones were closed to traffic, something the government did not have the courage to consider. It also continued to ignore immediate solutions such as a bus rapid transit system.

ADPD noted that it seemed the government was finally realising that a tunnel connecting Malta and Gozo was not feasible.

Although it was good that the government was thinking about a recycling and recycling waste export project, it continued to push the incineration project which undermined this, reflecting a lack of clear vision.

The government also failed to propose a mechanism that would reduce worker exploitation.