Government selling energy sovereignty – Busuttil
Joseph Muscat signed China agreement behind people’s back, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil says.
16 September 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
The Opposition's critical position on the agreement between Malta and China on the partial privatisation of Enemalta stems from the lack of information, PN leader Simon Busuttil said today.
Moreover, Busuttil insisted that the deal would lead to Malta losing its independence in energy generation, which will "be controlled by foreigners."
Speaking after a visit to the Vittoriosa Local Council, the PN leader asked: "Do you think its acceptable for the Prime Minister to announce the privatisation of Enemalta from the other end of the world, when the Labour Party's electoral programme made no mention of privatising the state utility?"
Stressing that the Opposition's criticism and doubts were "legitimate," Busuttil said that despite the government has pledged to table the agreement details in Parliament once it is reconvened next month, the Opposition was demanding more information immediately.
The deal was struck behind the people's back, Busuttil said, adding that "the Prime Minister has told us that the EU was aware of the deal, meaning that while China and the EU were made aware of the agreement's details, the people were not informed."
Asked whether this stand conformed with the PN's traditions, Busuttil said: "This agreement shows that the Labour Party has no political direction. Despite staunchly opposing privatisation for years, Labour has now privatised the energy sector. On the other hand, the PN has always been consistent in its beliefs that basic needs, such as energy and water supply should not be privatised."
The PN leader added that the deal which will see an energy company owned by the Chinese government invest up to €200 million in the debt-ridden Enemalta, means that foreigners will be the "majority shareholders in Malta's energy sector."
He said that by March 2015, a new private gas-fired power station will sell its energy directly on the grid, while the older Enemalta-owned power station will be buying gas from the same private operator for at least 18 years. This coupled with the privatisation of 25% of Enemalta "effectively means that the energy sector is controlled by foreigners," Busuttil said.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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PN has sold Malta as a sovereignty to the EU.Did they not sell Mid med Bank, Did they not sell Maltacom, did they not sell Malta post, Did they not sell the public lotto. Did they not sell ( No lease ) the malta freeport.These were sold as a whole and not percentage. Come on Simon do your job properly and wake up.
Jeffrey Camilleri •
Time will show that Simon is right. China actual deal is behind our backs!!!!
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Jekk inhallu xi darba lil pajjiz f'idejn simon, l-istess bhal EneMalta ikissirha: wara kollox hares kif anke lill- Partit taghhom zbankaw...ahseb u ara! Mur afdah!
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Sur Busuttil, tista tghidli jekk inti tghid xi haga lill xi hadd u dan ix-xi hadd imur jghid x-ghadtlu imnti, tafdah lill dan ix-xihadd bi xi haga ohra? kieku nkun jiena zgur li ma nergax nafdah.
Ha mmorru lura ghal meta inti kont ghadhekk taqra il-komiks jew tilghab bil-bocci, il-Perit Mintoff bhala Prim Ministyru ta Mal;ta u li ghalih Malta kienet tigi l-ewwel u qabel kollox qisira ma habib kbir tieghu fuq il-Blata kontinentali. Bhala Prim Ministru dan deherlu li kellu jinforma lill kap ta l-Oppozizjoni biss sitwazzjoni. X'gara fil-Parlament deputat Nazzjonalista ghamel interpellanza fuq dan il-kaz. Issa dan il-kaz kien ghadu sigriet. Minn tahseb li qllu biex jaghmel l-interrpellanza lill dan id-deputat? zgur mhux Mintoff infatti kien dfak iz-zmien li harget il-frazi tal Vavu tal-Harqa. Minn hu ixjeh minnhekk jaf ghal minn intqalet.
Simpler Simon ghalminn tista toqod din il-frazi illum hux?
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Is-sovreignty tlifnija meta iffirmajt id-Dublin2 bil-bravura tieghek ta voluntary burden sharing.
Dak li beza ghalih Borg Olivier meta hadna l-Indipendenza-jigiefieri li Malta ma tiflahx ghal eluf ta immigranti illegali-tfiftunna int 'il-great statesman'!
Ghax ma issaqxi lil Malmstrom min jikkmand jekk f'Malta jigux economic migrants jew le .....u nistghux nibghatuhom minn fejn gew?
Ahjar Oppozizzjoni bla leader milli leader int!
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Put your mind in order, Simple Simon. You're confused. It is you who does not have political direction. You've lost your way and you now realise that nobody wants to assist you find it again. You're alone in this SimpleSimonPN mess.
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Xmun, go back to sleep. You were doing a better job then!
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And what did the PN do with all the 'energy sovereignty' it had? Also please note that by this proposed agreement, the government would still have the control of Enemalta without fear of any decision being overturned!
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Government is making less likely that another oil scandal occurs.
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I believe that Simon is selling his soul to the devil. The lies, innuendos, false truths being branded about are absolutely shameful and disgusting. Simon's party sold Mid-Med Bank to The Hong Kong and Shangai Bank (HSBC) - a Chinese Company. This Bank had more than half of all Maltese banking transactions and yet Simon's Party sold it off for next to nothing. Simon's Party sold TeleMalta, renamed Maltacom, then Go to the Dubai Company - an Arab Country. It sold Smart City to the Arabs too with Malta's prime land to the foreigners. Simon's Party sold the Freeport and the Dockyard with all the property and land on them to foreigners. It sold the whole of Manoel Island and Tigne Point to private and foreign investors. Simon's Party sold you and me to a European Vision that did not exist and collapsed soon afterwards. It sold the Malta Airport to the Austrians, the Lotto Office to the Greeks, --- the list is unending. Now he is crying foul. THAT IS SICKLY AND DISGUSTING AND NOT EVEN THE PHARISEES SO CONDEMNED BY CHRIST WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SUCH DEPTHS OF HYPOCHRISY. The present Government is ceding 20% of the shareholding of EneMalta - a far cry from the 100% sell of of all of the above and a far cry from selling our energy sovereignty.
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@simon
Fejn kont int meta il gvern tieghek biegh il mid-med bank lill Hong Kong & Shangai Banking Corp. (HSBC)?
Booooooooo!!!!
Adrian Busuttil •
"...the deal would lead to Malta losing its independence in energy generation, which will "be controlled by foreigners." It's amazing Busuttil can keep a straight face while spouting this hot air.
Is this statement meant to bring out the patriot in us, the long-suffering population? We've had 25 years of unexplained very frequent power cuts under "his" government, which show no sign of abating under the current administration.
Perhaps it isn't great having foreign nationals organise our electricity, but we Maltese have spent the past 25 years proving we're useless at it.
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Dr Gonzi left the PN in a very poor state. The new leader is leading the PN to a far more lower level than his predecessor with his arguments. Commenting any more would be waste of time.
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Dan ghadu ma xebax jaqa ghan nejk.
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Mhux ahjar kieku Simon Busuttil jinghaqad mat-team tal-KOMICI!
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Ma kienx mument li ma cempilux il PM, kemm hada bikbira.GHati ghal inqas idea ohra xandu jsir biex insalvaw l'enemalta, mhux tparla bis.
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Your PN sold all our sovereignty to the EU and YOU were the main perpetrator who deceived the people when you were teh head of MIC.
