Opposition MPs on Monday accused the government of fuelling an "unsustainable overpopulation model" that is overwhelming Malta's infrastructure, driving up debt and worsening traffic, health and housing pressures, but Finance Minister Clyde Caruana rejected the criticism, insisting Malta's public finances are "solid" and that the country's economic performance reflects 13 years of consistent growth.
Opening the debate on the Finance Ministry's budget portfolio for the Opposition, PN MP Adrian Delia said that the government's Budget is more than a calculator exercise and should reflect "a social conscience and prudence in handling the people's money".
He said the government failed to address Malta's core national challenges, mostly the rapid rise in population, which he described as "the economic model of choice" under the Labour government.
Delia noted that Malta's population grew from 430,000 in 2013 to 575,000 by the end of 2024, including 170,000 foreign residents. Foreigners accounted for 6.75% of the population in 2013, compared with 30% today, he said.
He quoted studies on demographic changes in various localities, such as in Msida: from 14.5% foreign residents in 2012 to 64% today, St Paul's Bay: 20% to 63%, Gżira: 13% to 60%, among other localities.
The Maltese population, he said, is shrinking while the foreign population is "exploding".
Despite the Finance Minister repeatedly acknowledging overpopulation as a concern, Delia said the word appeared only once in the Budget speech - and only in relation to investment in new clinics, for the population which is living longer.
"Instead of addressing the explosion in foreign workers, they confuse it with Maltese and Gozitans living longer," he said.
He accused Caruana of being "the architect of this chaos", linking overpopulation to pressures in hospitals, schools and infrastructure.
When Caruana headed JobsPlus, Delia said he had argued Malta needed to import at least 10,000 workers a year because the country was "incapable of creating new economic sectors".
Delia said this growth was directly responsible for gridlock on Malta's roads, noting that €700 million will be spent on road-related issues in 2025, excluding pollution and health impacts.
He cited surveys showing traffic has become the number one concern for people across the country.
On health services, he said waiting times have "increased drastically" across emergency and outpatients, adding that the system is "kept alive only by the dedication of health workers," and yet many employees still lack basic rest areas and canteens.
"With a population rise of this scale, no single hospital can keep up," he said, pointing to the structural deterioration at Karin Grech, referenced in technical reports commissioned by the government itself, quoting an email sent to then-Minister Chris Fearne.
Delia demanded receipts from the Finance Minister regarding payments made during the Vitals and Steward concession.
He asked Caruana whether the government verified "every euro spent" and whether Malta received adequate services, given that the Prime Minister insisted the country had secured "a fair deal".
Delia spoke about the government's €460 million refund claim with the ICC, consultancy payments to Acutor, which used to be Vitals, which provided services to former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat
He also requested for the list of all payments made from the start of the concession until its termination.
Delia insisted the public deserves a detailed breakdown of expenditure, especially given reports identifying structural damage at Karin Grech and St Luke's despite years of payments.
The MP linked Malta's housing affordability crisis to overpopulation, saying Maltese families are being priced out of the property market while the social housing waiting list continues to grow.
He also flagged concerns over rising direct orders and "extravagant procurement", quoting independent analyses of public procurement practices. Malta's ranking of 65th on corruption indexes, he said, reflected "another certificate of failure".
Turning to public debt, Delia said national debt has exceeded €11 billion this year and is forecast to surpass €14 billion, meaning future generations will carry the burden.
He argued that debt has climbed despite the influx of foreign workers, adding that the government's strategy "prioritises voter-driven spending rather than long-term sustainability".
Delia said the PN is committed to changing Malta's economic model to one which no longer depends on population growth.
He criticised the lack of investment in mass transport systems and said the Opposition is prepared to work with the government on a national strategy.
He attacked the government's planning reforms, calling for a "national afforestation project" and measures to cut emissions. The budget, he said, "created a class of wealthy individuals who dictate to the government".
He pointed to the PN's 50 proposals, including the Child Trust Fund, which he said reflects the party's focus on long-term planning.
PN MP Jerome Caruana Cilia said the government had "lost hope and run out of solutions".
Overpopulation, drainage issues, electricity pressures and traffic were all worsening, he said, and "those who created the problems cannot be expected to fix them".
He warned that interest on Malta's debt will reach €300 million by the end of the year.
Labour MP Alex Muscat accused Adrian Delia of using "xenophobic language" when speaking about the foreign population in Malta, saying he "would not accept such rhetoric".
He insisted Malta's finances are strong because of "a prudent government".
Closing the debate, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said the Opposition avoided discussing the country's actual financial results because "the public is no longer worried about how public finances are managed".
He said Malta's economic stability was the result of 13 years of uninterrupted growth.
"If public finances were not strong, if we did not have surplus revenue, we would have cause for concern," Caruana said.
He added that while tearing down is easy, "building is much harder", and warned that all the progress achieved through sacrifice can be undone under a Nationalist government.