Now more than ever, it is becoming increasingly clear how out of touch the Labour Government is with the daily realities and hardships of Maltese families and the growing challenges they face, including the worsening cost-of-living crisis, the Nationalist Party said Wednesday.
While recent statistics confirm that the cost of living continues to rise, with an increase in the rate of inflation in February compared to the previous month, the government continues to ignore the solutions being proposed by the Partit Nazzjonalista to address this crisis, the party said in a statement.
This was evident recently when the Government voted against the Partit Nazzjonalista’s Motion on the cost of living – a Motion presented by the Opposition during its allotted six-monthly Parliamentary session, with the aim of debating this pressing issue. The Motion included concrete and constructive solutions, which the Partit Nazzjonalista placed on the national agenda to offer its proposals to ease the burden of rising prices on families and businesses – measures that have the support of all social partners.
In an economic environment where costs are consistently rising for everyone, organisations representing both employers and employees have long been warning that operational expenses are increasing at a rapid rate, which is directly impacting the prices paid by consumers. People are feeling this burden every day – in their bills, when shopping, in the cost of medicines, in rising rental prices, and in property prices, which particularly affect young people trying to buy their first home. The PN said it has put forward solutions to address these issues, but the Government has rejected them.
Despite these repeated warnings from social partners, the Labour Government remains insensitive to people’s needs, continues to tax the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), refuses to address the surge in prices related to import and export costs, and acts as though this crisis simply does not exist.
This is happening even as statistics clearly show that the cost of essential goods continues to climb month after month.
In February, the annual rate of inflation, as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI), rose to 1.9%, up from 1.4% in January – the highest level recorded since April 2024, the National Statistics Office said.
The largest contributor to this increase was food – the most essential daily item. Other significant increases were recorded in personal and health-related goods, such as hygiene products. No category within the index registered a decrease – showing that the rising cost of living is impacting every aspect of life for Maltese and Gozitan families.
While the PN said it recognises that some of the factors contributing to the rise in the cost of living stem from international developments, it is still the government’s responsibility to act and address these issues.
The latest data is clear evidence that the cost-of-living crisis is not only persisting but worsening. Yet the Government continues to turn a deaf ear, refuses to cooperate, and prioritises its own interests over those of families. This stands in stark contrast to the Opposition, which is in tune with the people and brings their concerns to the country’s highest institution.
This situation once again highlights the clear difference between the Partit Nazzjonalista and the Labour Party: the PN puts you and your family first, while Labour only looks out for itself.
The PN urged the Government to stop being hard-headed and to adopt the practical solutions that have been proposed. If it fails to do so, a new Nationalist Government pledges to implement these measures itself.
The statement was signed by Ivan Castillo.