Busuttil says Debono’s comments on Xarabank were ‘heartening’

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil said he welcomed Franco Debono's comments on Xarabank yesterday evening, adding his comments "were heartening".

The maverick MP did not commit himself when asked whether he'll be supporting the no confidence motion moved by the Opposition on Friday morning.

Speaking on Radju Malta's 'Ghandi X'Nghid', Busuttil described the motion as a "guillotine", echoing his leader's words.

"Government would then take the responsible steps, if the motion passes," Busuttil said, when asked if elections are iminent. "But Debono's comments gave me hope there could be a solution."

Labour MEP Edward Scicluna, who was also present for the radio show, said if a solution is found to the current crisis would be "well and good" and elections would then take place as scheduled next year.

On Standard&Poor's downgrading of nine European countries, including Malta, Busuttil said Malta is highly affected by what goes on in the member states: "We must look at how these countries are faring as to be able to prepare measures to mitigate these affects."

Scicluna said rating agencies are not giving member states time to sort out their problems: "They're seeking immediate problems and expect countries to reduce their debts in 24 hours..."

He added that not all countries afford to implement austerity measures.

Asked by presenter Andrew Azzopardi whether the Maltese should prepare themselves to see their wages decrease, Busuttil said he was in politics to make sure this doesn't happen. Increase in utility bills guaranteed that pensions and wages do not go down: "We could have decreased utility bills, increased public debt, which at the end would have decreased pensions."

But Scicluna gave another view on the increase in utility bills: "When in mid-2007 government was faced with high deficit, its scapegoat was utility bills."

Busuttil retorted that the 2008 budget had been affected by the global financial crisis, which began in December 2007 and took a sharp downturn in September 2008.

On the budgetary cuts announced over a week ago, Busuttil insisted that government's revision will not affected wages but said that government will be more strict in the areas in which unnecessary spending could be cut: "It is better to cut €40 million from government's spending budget rather than increase tax."

However, Scicluna said government should have been prudent and careful from the beginning, rather than do such an optimistic budget, based on economic growth when it was clear that the international scenario would not provide a 2.3% growth to Malta.

Busuttil said he had expected the Opposition to be more "responsible" and not push for an election, which the country doesn't need, right now: "As government, we are looking at the economic impact which an election could have on the country."

Scicluna said if the situation resolved by itself, the country would go to the elections next year: "But currently, government does not have the support of the majority. It's every prime minister duty to ascertain where he stands in his own government."

Busuttil however insisted Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi should do everything possible to avert the elections: "If you have a revolver pointed to your head you don't tell your attacker to pull the trigger."

Scicluna said the country can't accept to see its Prime Minister out of the country during such times: "It's the Opposition's duty to do all it can as the parliament gives it the duty to do so."

Busuttil said the Prime Minister kept his itinerary until the Opposition moved its vote of no confidence motion, at which point Gonzi cancelled all commitments.