Greens say Muscat must not abdicate responsibility over Air Malta

Alternattiva Demokratika has taken issue at comments by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, claiming he disrespected Air Malta employees when he gave short shrift to a restructuring programme for the airline's survival.

On Sunday, Muscat said he had kept in place the entire Air Malta management appointed by the former PN government, just so that if the airline goes bust the workers would have to go ask Tonio Fenech for their just satisfaction," AD chairman Arnold Cassola said.

"That's no way for the prime minister to address this issue. Air Malta might be in its present predicament because of the ineptitude of the previous Nationalist government, but the Prime Minister today is Joseph Muscat and he must not shirk off his responsibility.

"Air Malta is a time bomb waiting to explode and Dr Muscat must manifest his respect towards the Air Malta workers by convincing them, and the whole Maltese population, that he is really taking the bull by the horns."

Air Malta is still being captained by chief executive Peter Davis, whose €500,000-a-year contract was heavily criticised by the Labour Party in Opposition.

Carmel Cacopardo, AD deputy chairperson, added that the government must lay its cards on the table.

"In particular it should be clear as to whether it is planning to privatise Air Malta as well as to whether it has a strategic partner in mind. AD expects government to proceed differently from the way it did in the Enemalta Corporation privatisation as a result of which China has a 35% share of Malta's energy corporation. If it selects the privatisation path it should enter negotiations with different companies after a public call for expressions of interest in order to get the best deal for the benefit of Air Malta workers, for the tourist industry and for the Maltese islands."