Updated: Plans to raise electricity rates revealed by European Commission document - Muscat

(Adds Finance Ministry's reply) The European Commission has uncovered the government's plans to increase electricity rates after the next election, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening. Speaking during a political meeting in Pieta, Dr Muscat said that a European Commission document clearly states: "Energy inflation is forecast to strengthen under the assumption of an increase in electricity prices". This document was written under the assumption that this was the government's policy for next year. The Labour leader said that the government had no credibility whatsoever in the energy sector. It was only now that it was investing in renewable energy and it had opted for a power station that worked on heavy fuel oil. Rather than invest in solar energy it promised windmills. He said that the PL's policy was based on alternative sources of energy, the generation of energy from gas and encouraging people to invest in renewable energy. Photovoltaic panels would make more sense for families because Labour would also be reducing the electricity rates, he said. The Labour leader said to reduce the deficit, the government had reduced investment in education and health by millions...