The measure to remove free public transport for third-country nationals is unjust and counterproductive.

Moviment Graffitti, Rota, Friends of the Earth Malta, and Solidarjetà strongly oppose a two-tier public transport system and institutionalised discrimination against foreign workers.

The measure would force these residents, who are among the lowest-income and most socially marginalised groups in society, to pay for a service that remains free, yet inefficient, for other groups of residents.

This represents mobility injustice, discrimination and unequal treatment – a senseless measure that plays into the growing discontent over foreign workers in Malta, rather than one that will improve public transport.

Many third-country nationals live, work and study in Malta for years. They pay taxes, pay rent, support local businesses, and keep entire sectors running. Yet, when it comes to access to public services, they are treated differently because of their nationality.

This is an unjustifiable and dangerous distinction. Workers who contribute to the country should be treated fairly, regardless of their passport. If free public transport is a benefit available to residents, the government must explain why people who live, work, and study here are being excluded on the basis of their nationality.

There is a clear difference between tourists, who visit Malta temporarily, and residents who have made their lives here. Asking tourists to contribute towards the cost of their visit is reasonable. However, it is unjust to charge workers who already contribute to the economy and pay taxes while allowing other residents to travel for free.

The proposal also exposes a wider problem with Malta’s approach to migrant workers. Their labour is welcomed when businesses need staff, and their contribution is relied upon to sustain the economy. However, when it comes to their rights and access to public services, different standards are applied.

This proposal will not lead to a better public transport service. Malta’s public transport system is already overcrowded and inefficient, and making third-country nationals pay to use it will do nothing to address these problems. Third-country nationals who depend on buses to get to work and go about their daily lives will still need to use them, whether the service is free or not.

Free public transport was introduced to encourage a shift from private car use to bus usage. However, making the service free has done nothing to make bus trips more reliable, frequent, fast or comfortable, which are the things really required to entice people to shift from car to bus.

The government should focus on improving the service for everyone. If the aim is to reduce congestion and encourage people to leave their cars at home, public transport needs to become a reliable and efficient alternative. Charging third-country nationals does not achieve this.

The government must explain the reasoning behind this distinction and reconsider the proposal. Public policies should be based on clear and fair criteria, rather than treating people differently based on their nationality.

All residents deserve equal consideration, regardless of nationality or status. Their contribution to society should count, and their access to essential services should not depend on holding the right passport.

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It-tneħħija tat-trasport pubbliku b’xejn għal ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi hija inġusta u kontroproduttiva

Il-miżura li jitneħħa t-trasport pubbliku b’xejn għal ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi hija inġusta u kontroproduttiva.

Il-Moviment Graffitti, Rota, Friends of the Earth Malta, u Solidarjetà jopponu bil-qawwa sistema ta’ trasport pubbliku b’żewġ livelli, u d-diskriminazzjoni kontra ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi.

Din il-miżura ġġiegħel lil dawn ir-residenti – grupp li għandhom l-iktar dħul baxx u li huma f’riskju ta’ marġinalizzazzjoni soċjali – iħallsu għal servizz li jibqa’ b’xejn, għalkemm ineffiċjenti, għal gruppi oħra ta’ residenti.

Din hija inġustizzja fil-mobbiltà, diskriminazzjoni u trattament mhux ugwali. Hija miżura bla ebda sens, li tisfrutta d-dwejjaq dejjem jiżdied bis-sitwazzjoni tal-ħaddiema barranin f’Malta, u mhux miżura li se ttejjeb it-trasport pubbliku.

Ħafna ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi ilhom snin jgħixu, jaħdmu u jistudjaw f’Malta. Dawn iħallsu t-taxxi u l-kera, isostnu n-negozji lokali u jżommu setturi sħaħ għaddejjin. Madankollu, fejn jidħol l-aċċess għas-servizzi pubbliċi, qed jiġu ttrattati b’mod differenti minħabba n-nazzjonalità tagħhom.

Din hija distinzjoni inġustifikabbli u perikoluża. Il-ħaddiema li jikkontribwixxu għall-pajjiż għandhom jiġu ttrattati b’mod ġust, irrispettivament mit-tip ta’ passaport tagħhom. Jekk it-trasport pubbliku b’xejn huwa benefiċċju disponibbli għar-residenti, il-gvern irid jispjega għalfejn persuni li jgħixu, jaħdmu u jistudjaw hawn qed jiġu esklużi abbażi tan-nazzjonalità tagħhom.

Hemm differenza ċara bejn it-turisti, li jżuru Malta temporanjament, u r-residenti li bnew ħajjithom hawn. Huwa raġonevoli li t-turisti jintalbu jikkontribwixxu għall-ispejjeż taż-żjara tagħhom. Madankollu, huwa inġust li titlob ħlas lil ħaddiema li diġà jikkontribwixxu għall-ekonomija u jħallsu t-taxxi, filwaqt li tippermetti lil residenti oħra jivvjaġġaw b’xejn.

Il-proposta tesponi wkoll problema usa’ fl-approċċ ta’ Malta fejn jidħlu l-ħaddiema migranti. Ix-xogħol tagħhom jintlaqa’ tajjeb meta n-negozji jkollhom bżonn min jaħdem, u s-sostenn tal-ekonomija tagħna jiddependi mill-kontribut tagħhom. Madankollu, meta niġu għad-drittijiet tagħhom u l-aċċess għas-servizzi pubbliċi, japplikaw standards differenti.

Din il-proposta mhux se twassal għal servizz tat-trasport pubbliku aħjar. It-trasport pubbliku f’Malta diġà huwa ffullat iżżejjed u ineffiċjenti, u l-fatt li ċittadini minn pajjiżi terzi se jkollhom iħallsu biex jużawh mhux se jgħin biex jiġu indirizzati dawn il-problemi.

Ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi li jiddependu mill-karozzi tal-linja biex imorru għax-xogħol u jgħixu ħajjithom ta’ kuljum xorta se jkollhom bżonn jużawhom, kemm jekk is-servizz ikun bla ħlas kif ukoll jekk ma jkunx.

It-trasport pubbliku bla ħlas ġie introdott biex jinkoraġġixxi bidla mill-użu tal-karozza privata għall-użu tal-karozzi tal-linja. Madankollu, is-servizz bla ħlas ma għamel xejn biex il-vjaġġi bil-karozzi tal-linja jkunu aktar affidabbli, frekwenti, veloċi jew komdi, kwalitajiet verament meħtieġa biex in-nies jaqilbu mill-karozza għall-karozza tal-linja.

Il-gvern għandu jiffoka fuq it-titjib tas-servizz għal kulħadd. Jekk l-għan hu li titnaqqas il-konġestjoni u li n-nies jiġu mħeġġa jħallu l-karozzi tagħhom id-dar, it-trasport pubbliku jrid isir alternattiva affidabbli u effiċjenti. Li nimponu l-ħlas fuq ċittadini ta’ pajjiżi terzi ma jagħtix dawn ir-riżultati.

Jeħtieġ li l-gvern jispjega r-raġunament wara din id-distinzjoni u jerġa’ jqis il-proposta. Il-politiki pubbliċi għandhom ikunu bbażati fuq kriterji ċari u ġusti, u mhux iwasslu biex in-nies jiġu trattati b’mod differenti abbażi tan-nazzjonalità tagħhom. Ir-residenti kollha jistħoqqilhom li jiġu trattati b’mod ugwali, irrispettivament min-nazzjonalità jew l-istatus tagħhom. Il-kontribut tagħhom għas-soċjetà għandu jgħodd, u l-aċċess tagħhom għal servizzi essenzjali m’għandux jiddependi mill-passaport li għandhom.