VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela has described Malta’s 2027 budget as the “only progressive budget in Europe”, defending the government’s economic measures and its decision to maintain subsidies on fuel and electricity.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday evening, Abela highlighted several measures announced during last week’s budget speech by Finance Minister, including a €1,000 annual “super bonus” for workers, pension increases and tax reductions for parents.
The Prime Minister argued that the government had successfully maintained economic stability despite international uncertainty, ongoing wars and rising oil prices.
He said keeping fuel and electricity prices stable had helped protect households while putting more money into people’s pockets through tax cuts and other financial incentives.
Abela also defended the continuation of energy subsidies, arguing that the measure would make the budget one of the best in the European Union if considered on its own.
He maintained that the government had managed to pursue a progressive economic agenda while keeping the budget deficit below three per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Malta’s debt-to-GDP ratio currently stands at 47 per cent, according to the figures cited by the Prime Minister.
However, Abela’s claims come alongside criticism of new fees that third-country nationals will face from the coming year, despite the government’s emphasis on the budget’s progressive character.
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(ITALPRESS).
