PN to propose amendments to legal notice that establishes Xjenza Malta

The Nationalist Party plans to propose amendments to a legal notice regarding the establishment of Xjenza Malta, as it believes the government is not adequately addressing issues in the sector.

In a statement signed by MPs Claudette Buttigieg and Ryan Callus, the PN referred to Legal Notice 112/2024, which concerns the creation of the Xjenza Malta agency that will take over the functions of the Malta Council for Science & Technology.

The PN highlighted that, in light of the critiques and suggestions from the 2019 Peer Review - Maltese Research and Innovation System, the government's proposed legal notice fails to address the sector's problems and is "certainly" not the solution the country needs.

The PN stated that the Opposition has a legally-stipulated timeframe to propose amendments to this legal notice. It intends to present several amendments to not only prompt a parliamentary debate but also to achieve a national consensus on the future direction of research and innovation in the country.

The PN emphasised that the Opposition views the research and nnovation sector as a fundamental pillar of the Maltese economy, capable of providing quality jobs without harming the environment or increasing the population.