Malta will only issue its second round of COVID-19 vouchers when every business which can benefit from it is allowed to reopen, Prime Minister Robert Abela has confirmed. 

This will mean waiting for the reopening of bars and nightclubs, which have been closed since the end of October. 

“We’re looking at the ideal moment to distribute them so that all sectors can benefit, which means they must be open,” he said at a press conference today.

The vouchers will give every resident in Malta €100 to spend at businesses that had to close down as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, injecting some €45 million into the Maltese economy.

Abela dismissed concerns that the restrictions are causing the destruction of small businesses, arguing that the government has introduced several measures – including the wage supplement, tax deferrals, vouchers, loan moratoria and direct aid to restaurants and bars – to ensure they remain afloat.

Are you looking forward to the second round of vouchers?