Updated | Minister denies shedding doubt on NSO data

The Nationalist Party has criticized finance minister Edward Scicluna’s comments on Eurostat data, accusing him of mud-slinging.

This was the second time the statistics agency came under fire from Scicluna, the PN said. In October he accused the NSO of contributing ‘misinformation’ about the state of the economy.

In a press statement, the PN accused Scicluna of shameful behaviour when he said that a Eurostat publication was ‘fake’. “If anything is fake it was Scicluna’s four-hour Budget speech, which lacks direction and a just distribution of wealth,” the statement read. “Scicluna has spent too much time with Joseph Muscat and has learnt to blame others when he feels cornered.”

The finance minister has denied having criticised the NSO during the Times Talk programme of Tuesday evening, on PBS.

“Attempts to interpret his remarks on the reliability of two specific surveys as criticism directed at the Office are solely intended to gain political mileage. The minister appreciates the hard work undertaken by the NSO staff, and their ability to keep up with the heavy demands in spite of their limited resources,” a spokesperson said.

“This notwithstanding, it is common knowledge in economic circles that there are certain economic indicators which are less reliable than others. The monthly manufacturing and retail industry indicators fall without a doubt in this category. There is ample proof that they bear no resemblance to GDP data, which is published on a quarterly basis.”