In a joint statement on Tuesday, Alex Borg Shadow Minister for Gozo and Ivan Castillo Shadow Minister for the Maritime Sector, Social Dialogue, and the Fight Against the Rising Cost of Living, said that “in recent hours, it has become clear that exactly what the Nationalist Party warned about a few weeks ago has come to pass.”

“The Government has once again failed the people of Gozo when it comes to the ferry service between Malta and Gozo,” the, said, “For now, Gozitans will have to continue putting up with the MV Nikolaos – a vessel for which we are paying €14,000 daily in rent, excluding fuel costs.”

“The government-issued tender, supposedly aimed at resolving the connectivity issue between the two islands, and clearly set up to fail, has indeed failed,” stated the PN spokesperson.

They added that responding to a Parliamentary Question by Nationalist MP Chris Said, the Minister for Gozo confirmed that when the call for tenders closed on 2nd April, “no interest had been expressed in leasing a vessel to operate between Cirkewwa and Mgarr to replace the 36-year-old Greek ferry.”

“It is disappointing that the Government continues to dig in its heels while disregarding the concrete solutions proposed by the Partit Nazzjonalista, including viable alternatives supported by transparent and sustainable EU funding,” said the PN.

The spokespersons noted that “in recent weeks, Nationalist MEP Peter Agius clearly explained that there are specific EU funds available for this type of investment, including the Gozo Channel fleet. Yet instead of making use of these opportunities, the Labour Government continues to ignore them and opts to squander millions in taxpayers’ money.”

Borg and Castillo stressed that “in stark contrast to the Labour Government, the PN has a serious and concrete plan for connectivity between Malta and Gozo. We believe in Gozo as an integral part of national development, and we are proposing solutions based on effective use of EU funds, transparency, and investment that leads to real change – not temporary, stop-gap measures.”

“The failure of this tender – which was meant to provide the Gozo Channel with a fourth ferry to operate in the channel between Malta and Gozo – is clear evidence of gross incompetence on the part of the Labour Government. While the PN had warned that the structure of this tender made it destined to fail, the fact that no offers were submitted proves our point,” argued Borg and Castillo.

They claimed that “the Government has now ensured that the MV Nikolaos remains in service, despite its serious shortcomings in terms of safety, accessibility, and operation.”

The PN spokespersons insisted that “it is evident that this was orchestrated in order for the Government to be able to issue yet another direct order and maintain the status quo, keeping the current fourth ferry in operation. One is left to wonder whether this was done deliberately to justify issuing another direct order worth millions of euro in public funds.”

“This entire episode demonstrates a total lack of vision and seriousness, despite the Government’s long-standing promises of a long-term plan for Gozo’s connectivity,” stated the PN. “Once again, we are seeing a Labour Government that fails to plan, fails to consult, and fails to address problems in a strategic manner. Now they’re saying that a new tender will be issued this summer for the construction of a new vessel.”

Borg and Castillo argued that “until this vessel arrives, Gozitans will be stuck with an ageing leased ferry that is costing taxpayers millions. Not only are Gozitan citizens and families suffering due to the lack of a reliable connection, but also Gozitan businesses that depend on stable transport continue to struggle.”

“The failure of this tender confirms what the PN has been saying all along: for Labour, Gozo and the Gozitans are simply not a priority,” concluded the PN.

File photo: DOI

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