Abela insisted that the public-private partnerships will keep Malta’s economy going. However, the country does have a murky history with such deals. 

The sale of state hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare leaves its mark today, much like Electrogas. PPPs were a hallmark of Joseph Muscat’s tenure and several deals have been linked to major corruption.

Meanwhile, the infrastructural sector itself has been rife with allegations of cronyism and corruption. 

Lovin Malta recently reported how Infrastructure Malta dished out over €22.6 million in direct orders during the first six months of the year, bypassing official procedure.

Malta’s construction and planning sector is also currently subject to a corruption investigation inside the police force, with government entities, including Infrastructure Malta, reportedly under the microscope.

With the 2022 Budget being finalised, news of planned or proposed cuts are being released sporadically. 

That includes a cost-cutting exercise and a “freeze” on major projects, as reported by Times of Malta.

The University of Malta has also  confirmed its budget has been slashed by around €1.1 million, while

Meanwhile, The Shift News reported that Transport Malta will impose cuts by stopping the provision of free milk for hot beverages for its employees. 

However, there has been a certain level of frustration that cuts haven’t started by addressing nepotism and cronyism in the public sector, with PN finance spokesperson Jerome Caruana Cilia calling for cuts to focus on the “extravagant” spending of certain ministers and people close to them. 

Should Malta pursue more PPPs?