The Opposition and Government have clashed over whether the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should immediately discuss the National Audit Office’s report on Malta’s electricity distribution network or wait for an updated version.
In a statement, Nationalist MPs Darren Carabott, Graham Bencini and Eve Borg Bonello criticised Government members on the PAC for voting against discussing the report, arguing that it highlighted serious shortcomings in Malta’s electricity distribution system following the power outages of 2023. They said the report identified a lack of investment in the electricity network and claimed similar issues had resurfaced in recent weeks, leaving thousands of people in Malta and Gozo, including vulnerable individuals, without electricity. The Opposition described the decision to postpone the discussion as a delaying tactic that would avoid parliamentary scrutiny until after the summer recess.
The Government, however, rejected the criticism. In a statement issued by the Labour Party, it said it has “absolutely nothing to fear” from a discussion on the electricity distribution system. It explained that Government members on the PAC had formally requested the Auditor General to update the report, which currently covers the situation up to 2023, so that it also reflects the work and investment carried out between 2023 and 2026. According to the Labour Party, this period included the largest investment programme ever undertaken in Malta’s electricity distribution network, including new substations, underground cables, transformers and other infrastructure.
The Labour Party said it supports scrutiny of the Government’s work but argued that any PAC discussion should be based on “complete, updated and objective information” rather than what it described as only part of the facts. The Opposition, meanwhile, maintained that Parliament should examine the existing report without further delay.
Follow News Of Malta 🇲🇹 for the latest stories and updates.
