Malta’s Finance Minister must stop threatening Maltese businesses and stop wasting taxpayer money on “corrupt” contracts, PN Leader Bernard Grech said today.

Grech said that Clyde Caruana’s comments in Parliament yesterday made it clear that the government, if re-elected, would continue to add bureaucratic tape to businesses and add to the pressures they already face.

“Businesses are feeling the effects of the negative decisions by the Labour Party, decisions that led to the island being greylisted due to corruption in the highest levels of government,” Grech said.

His comments come after Caruana said he would ensure that overdue tax was paid, and paid promptly, and that the state shouldn’t be seen as an overdraft option for business.

Grech also hit out at a number of controversial deals over the last few years.

“It looks like Caruana is happy to see his friends give out a record amount of direct orders that give nothing back to society, and continue to support corrupt deals such as the Electrogas and Stewards deal, as well as see the Economy Ministry spending over €30 million to rent a bathroom showroom in Żejtun.”