Busuttil says PN not supporting spring hunting referendum

"Following a budget solely characterised by gimmicks, further analysis reveals that it will be an increase in taxation and debts that will cater for the increase in expenditure," PN leader Simon Busuttil explained this evening.

Quizzed during Dissett by PBS Head of News Reno Bugeja, the PN leader said that while the Opposition is in favour of the positive measures, it was against the budget simply because the government failed to specialise how the budget will be funded.
 
"Further scrutiny has revealed that Finance Minister Edward Scicluna has not disclosed who will pay for the new taxes and the resulting increase in expenditure that the budget measures are set to impose."
 
"In order to cater for the expected increase in expenditure, the government has proposed €72 million in new taxes. However, it is still unclear who will foot the bill and whether everyone will shoulder the sudden increase in expenses."
 
In a scathing attack on the government, Busuttil also explained that the government was reducing its expenditure in certain sectors to cater for the rise in the expenditure that the budget measures set to impose, a stand echoed this morning by Opposition spokeswoman Giovanna Debono and PN Secretary General Chris Said who lambasted the government's budget measures for Gozo.

Turning his attention on the proposed spring hunting referendum, the PN leader explained that the Opposition was not in favour of a referendum abolishing spring hunting but instead it is in favour "of adopting its previous stand to establishing a short and controlled spring hunting period."

The Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Hunting has since collected 20,000 signatures in a petition calling for the government to hold a public referendum on the future of spring hunting.

On the other hand, commenting on the controversial Individual Investor Programme (IIP)Busuttil argued that despite the PN stating that it would accept the scheme if its amendments were accepted, the Opposition would still be against the scheme 'in principle'.
 
On his part, Reno Bugeja called for Busuttil to clarify the PN's stance as it is presently conveying "a possible contradictory view."
 
"The PN's stance is not contradictory as the Opposition is still against the privatisation and sale of the Maltese identity but it would accept it if the amendments were approved the government."
 
Among the amendments tabled by the Opposition during last Saturday's parliamentary sitting, the PN sought to disclose the names of the beneficiaries of the IIP, to introduce an investment threshold and for the beneficiaries to be resident in Malta for at least five years.
 
Meanwhile, Bugeja asked the Busuttil on the PN's possible hypocritical stance as previous PN administrations approved foreign vessels bearing the Maltese flag, making it one of the world's largest shipping register.
 
"This comparison is unfounded as the IIP stance will have devastating consequences on Malta's reputation. The testament to this is the bad publicity Malta is being subjected to in the international media."
 
Malta had previously hit the international media after Maltese-flagged vessel Erika was involved in a major environmental disaster off the coast of France back in 1999, Bugeja pointed out, but Busuttil rubbished the comparisons.
 
Following PN deputy leader Mario de Marco's claims that the PN would exhaust all of its options prior to repealing the IIP scheme if elected, the Opposition leader adopted a less cautious approach and explained that "following the government's failure to budge an inch from its proposed measures, the PN, if in government would repeal the scheme and its beneficiaries."
 
Asked whether the PN would adopt the same stance and repeal the memorandum of understanding between China and Enemalta, Busuttil claimed that even though the government breached its electoral promises, a PN government would not repeal the MOU.
 
On the proposed reduction in water and electricity tariffs, Busuttil argued that the PN was acting on the PN's measures, particularly the reduction in night time tariffs which was set to reflect between a 7% and 26% reduction in tariffs.
 
"The budget has presented a distorted measure that all families will have their tariffs decreased by 25%, but further scrutiny has revealed that not all families will benefit from this scheme. Families are now expected to be charged around €101 less, a fee which will be earned in less than an hour by Sai Mizzi Liang."
 
"In light of the budget measures, the government is in a situation where it has to increase its debt to finance its expenditure. As previously envisaged by the European Commission, Malta's deficit rates are set to increase risking landing Malta in excessive deficit procedures."
 
Quizzed on the reshuffle within the Shadow Ministry, particularly the appointment of former Health Minister Joe Cassar to Education spokesperson, Busuttil explained that everyone, except Tonio Fenech, was allocated a new role.
 
Turning his attention on the proposed spring hunting referendum, the PN leader explained that the Opposition was not in favour of a referendum abolishing spring hunting but of adopting its previous stand to establishing a short and controlled spring hunting period.

The Coalition for the Abolition of Spring Huntinghas since collected 20,000 signatures in a petition calling for the government to hold a public referendum on the future of spring hunting.

On civil unions, Busuttil stated that the PN would table amendments to the bill in order to clarify the distinction between civil unions and gay marriage.

While stating that there will be more candidates standing on the MEP elections on the PN ticket, Busuttil failed to disclose the names of aspiring candidates.