Fenech says gas pipeline funds will be available in 2014

The European Commission was right in claiming that there was no current funds available for the gas pipeline project, finance minister Tonio Fenech said.

On Monday, the European Commission confirmed that no funding yet existed for a pipeline from Sicily to Malta, in a reply to MEP Patrizia Toia who asked whether the Commission could say how much this project will cost.

However, Fenech insisted that €63 million has been earmarked for the pipeline, from Malta's allocation from the 2014-2020 Connecting Europe funds.

"The current budget which ends this year only provided funds for the feasibility study, and the Commission rightfully said that there are no funds earmarked for the project's completion within the framework which ends at the end of this years."

He added that the funds will be made available when the new 2014-2021 European Union financial framework will be in place next year.

Speaking this morning during a press conference at the PN headquarters, Fenech accused Labour of having "no goals, no plan and no new proposals" to create jobs.

"Labour leader Joseph Muscat recently said that as of Monday, if Labour wins the election, the blue flags will be flown over ministries and replaced by red and white Maltese flags. However, I can reassure you that red and white Maltese flags have been flying over ministries. In addition, jobs are not created by hoisting up a flag," he said.

Insisting that "only the PN is prepared t create jobs," Fenech said Labour is unable to create new jobs and this was proved by Labour's actions in the past and what it was saying in this campaign.

Quoting Labour MP Chris Cardona, Fenech said Labour's plan for the manufacturing sector was that of doing nothing and ensuring that the sector was not hindered.

"If that's all you're going to do, might as well stay in the Opposition," he said, stressing that this was not enough.

Asked to explain why the European Commission's economic growth forecasts did not match those published by the PN, Fenech said that the commission's projections were subject to "a no policy change scenario," while the PN's forecasts were based on its plans to bolster economic growth.

The finance minister also spoke on the apparent dissatisfaction of a number of entrepreneurs who switched their allegiance to Labour.

Fenech acknowledged that many were disappointed by the way permits were issued, however warned that the PN could never issue permits, which were illegal.

He went on to accuse Labour of sending letters in which permits were promised to the business community.

"Labour will have to shoulder responsibility. People have a right to vote to whatever party they want, but if things go wrong everybody will have to suffer the consequences," Fenech said as he warned that Labour had already deceived the business community in 1996.