The PN has still not been briefed about the government’s unannounced visit to Libya on Thursday, Adrian Delia said on Sunday.
“We know absolutely nothing about the visit or any arrangements," the PN leader said during an interview on Net.
"People expect the Prime Minister to tell us what went on in the meeting between the Maltese delegation and the Libyan government, and what to expect in the coming days as a result of that visit," he added.
On Thursday Robert Abela, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo visited Tripoli where they discussed migration with the Libyan government.
The government said in a statement that Malta and Libya will be setting up units to coordinate operations against illegal migration, however, it did not provide any additional information.
On Sunday morning, Delia said he expected Abela to go on TV later that day to inform people about any discussions and arrangements between the two governments.
During the interview, Delia also expressed concern about the way in which Abela spoke about the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented by the health authorities to curb the spread.
Pandemic still national public health emergency
“The way the Prime Minister passes on the message and takes decisions always contrasts with the health authorities’ approach,” he said.
“This was true at the beginning of the pandemic and during the transition period: on one side we had cautiousness and on the other bullishness, as if the more arrogant you are in dealing with the issue, the more successful you will be.”
To date, the pandemic was still officially considered a national public health emergency, yet Abela said on Sunday that it was all behind us, Delia added.
He urged for a discussion on the loss of employment caused by coronavirus and a plan for the way forward when it comes to the country’s economy.
Earlier, he said that now that Malta was returning to normality, the government was calling on people to return to work, being insensitive to the 11,000 unemployed people who had no job to return to.
Delia added that the PN had launched a serious discussion with stakeholders, including employers, investors and experts to decide which sectors, in this new reality, Malta should invest in.
“Let us see how we can be innovative and overcome other countries’ competitive edge. We have a double advantage: we are a small country and can, therefore, be agile in implementing change.
“Secondly, the Maltese are creative and diligent – the lack of resources has, over the centuries, strengthened the Maltese people’s ability to adapt and be creative.”
These are the two most important ingredients at a time when global markets were changing, he said, adding that however, the government was not even talking about the current challenges and opportunities.
Instead, Abela was telling people to spend money and questions remained about what kind of investment Malta will be attracting, how it will improve its reputation, and which sectors the country will be investing in, he added.