Prime Minister Robert Abela on Monday avoided addressing the scandal involving two ministers who were found to have breached ethics by the Standards Commissioner.
Abela was speaking in Parliament during the debate on the budget estimates regarding the Office of the Prime Minister.
Rebutting accusations of fraud listed by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech in his earlier address, Abela described his political opponent as the prime tax evader, making reference to Grech’s tax controversy of four years ago.
Abela accused the Opposition of wanting to obscure the benefits emanating from the budget, which aims to put the country on the road towards better quality.
The tax cut delivered in the budget intended to provide reprieve to the middle class, he said, saying that the measure the government undertook was more than double what Labour had promised in its electoral manifesto.
“This was possible because public finances are on a sound footing,” Abela said.
The Opposition was unable to present a finished pre-budget document in time, let alone be responsible for public finances, Abela said, saying the PN should not be trusted with the administration of public finances.
Abela said the budget, apart from introducing tax cuts, had improved social benefits, higher pensions, and described the government’s plans for more green spaces without compromising economic growth.
The government was able to do this by the third budget in this legislature and new targets will now be set as the country needs to continue moving forward, “and this is why we are embarking on Vision 2050,” Abela said.
“We are committed to create new prosperity for all Maltese and Gozitans and this is why we are working for better quality,” Abela said.
Abela said that the 2025 Budget not only builds on previous budgets but is of the best presented by a Labour government, more so during the midterm of his legislature.
Abela added that under the PN government, their midterm budget actually raised duties whilst they bragged about increasing the COLA.
In light of recent positive results from financial authorities such as Moody’s, Abela said that the EU commission is set to revise the Maltese economic forecasts for the better partially due to the country’s use of AI and digitization.
“This faith puts a greater responsibility on us, since on the other side is absolutely empty,” Abela said pointing out that the PN’s pre-budget document wasn’t published. “It is easy to come and criticise but when you cannot complete a pre-budget document that shows the incompetence. Their own friends said ‘It needs more beef’ and they are still looking for it.”
Abela said that whilst abroad, in countries with greater economies, tax rates are booming, “We didn’t present a budget of burden but one which gives peace of mind to everyone in society.”
He said that in the last few months the PN tried to scare people that the Labour’s energy economy wasn’t sustainable but he pointed out, “We were always clear that this policy was the best measure we took to buffer against inflation and keep up the economy’s competition,” adding that the government was “the biggest cushion against inflation”.
Abela said that the labour government was a “shield to our businesses and families from great economic shocks”.
He added that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “We were in a situation worse than back then but we still came out on top.”
With regards to the PN’s income tax proposals, Abela said that they were poorly and quickly made and with “regressive measures” which would set parents back if implemented.