Robert Abela Promises ‘Next Year’s Budget Will Be Even Better’
Prime Minister Robert Abela has promised that next year’s Budget will be “even better” than the one unveiled just two weeks ago, describing the current financial plan as the “best ever.”
Speaking at a Labour Party event in Ħal Għaxaq on Sunday, Abela focused on the current budget measures announced by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, particularly those aimed at pensioners, students, and families, as reported by Malta Independent.
He said this year’s pension increases alone amount to €100 million, adding that an additional €37 million will address a 2006 anomaly that created “two categories of pensioners.”
Turning to education, Abela said the government had ignored advice to scrap student stipends, opting instead to raise them by 15%, injecting €6 million into students’ pockets. The allowance for Gozitan students living in Malta was also increased to €280 per month, worth roughly €10,000 over four years.
Abela said the Budget reflected Labour’s values, describing families as the “backbone” of Malta’s economy. He contrasted Malta’s economic resilience with struggling European economies, saying his government shields families from crises rather than burdening them.
He claimed that a middle-class family earning €60,000 a year with two children will “not pay a cent in income tax for 25 years,” saving around €275,000. Abela also noted that over €185 million in tax refunds have been issued since the scheme began under Joseph Muscat’s administration.
Dismissing claims that Steward Health Care profited €400 million from the hospitals deal as “the biggest lie ever told,” Abela insisted that payments to the company were justified.
The Prime Minister said that while critics tried to shift attention from the Budget, the government was delivering major environmental projects like Manoel Island and White Rocks, pledging that the next Budget will continue to strengthen families, students, and businesses.
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Image: Partit Laburista
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