Malta’s avoidance of a strict lockdown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will make the island more attractive to foreign investors, Prime Minister Robert Abela has predicted.

During a political event yesterday, Abela said the country needs to look beyond the pandemic and think of ways to incentivise local and foreign businesses to invest in the country. 

“Now is the moment that foreign investors are surveying their options on where they can potentially expand. When they cast their eye on Malta, they’ll see a country which didn’t close its factories and keep its workers at home, unable to go to work.” 

“In fact, we took measures that allowed workers to keep on working.”

“When foreign investors hold discussions at their head office, they’ll comment on how Malta managed to keep on moving, compared with other countries.”

“I believe the decision many investors will take is that it’s worth it to invest in Malta.”

Abela also pledged to incentivise SMEs to digitise further, export their products to new markets and create environmentally sustainable jobs based on the concepts of a green and blue economy. 

“Perhaps if it wasn’t for the pandemic, we’d have put this on hold but COVID-19 turned out to be the catalyst for change. I remember the Chamber of Commerce President speaking of the concept of business re-engineering; I was sceptical at first but time showed he was right.”

What do you make of the Prime Minister’s prediction?