Month: October 2022

F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet fi Pjazza Kastilja indirizzata mill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela wara li l-Gvern ippreżenta l-Budget għas-sena d-dieħla, intqal li dan il-Budget huwa għall-futur daqskemm hu għal-lum. Il-Prim Ministru saħaq li l-Budget moqri mill-Ministru għall-Finanzi huwa wieħed sod għaliex jindirizza l-isfidi kurrenti, bħall-għoli tal-ħajja. Qal li mbagħad il-Budget jaħseb għall-futur għaliex jagħti ċertezza u stabbiltà lin-negozji u l-familji billi jagħti serħan il-moħħ bl-għajnuna kbira li l-Gvern se jkompli jagħti fil-qasam tal-enerġija.

“Il-futur huwa sabiħ u llejla erġajna urejna li aħna konna, għadna u se nibqgħu forza progressiva, b’ruħ soċjali”, saħaq il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela. Ġie spjegat kif fil-politika soċjali, fl-edukazzjoni u fis-saħħa qed jiġu investiti €3.7 biljun. Il-Prim Ministru rrimarka li l-Budget għas-sena d-dieħla huwa mimli miżuri ġodda mill-manifest ‘Malta Flimkien’, li l-poplu ta mandat b’saħħtu fuqu. Spjega kif dan huwa l-ewwel Budget minn ħamsa biex jitwettaq il-pjan li l-Gvern għandu għal pajjiżna wara li ġie elett f’Marzu li għadda.

Dr Abela spjega kif il-Budget għas-sena li ġejja għandu l-akbar programm ta’ nefqa kapitali fl-istorja li tqarreb il-biljun ewro. Hawn semma ċentri tas-saħħa ġodda, skejjel moderni u tisbiħ u tkabbir ta’ ġonna u parks nazzjonali, fost oħrajn. Hu u jsemmi numru ta’ miżuri fosthom żidiet lill-pensjonanti u fiċ-children’s allowance, tax rebates u ċekk ta’ rifużjoni tat-taxxa, il-Prim Ministru ta żewġ eżempji ta’ kif se jgawdu n-nies bil-Budget 2023. Hawn semma koppja anzjana bil-pensjoni minima li bil-miżuri li se jiġu introdotti se tara żieda ta’ kważi €1,100 fis-sena fid-dħul tagħha. Dan apparti li familja b’żewġt itfal b’paga medja, se tara titjib annwali ta’ €1,820.

Filwaqt li semma inċentivi u għajnuniet lin-negozji, il-Prim Ministru tkellem dwar miżura oħra ewlenija tal-Budget, dik li tagħti għotja t’€10,000 fuq medda ta’ għaxar snin lil min se jixtri l-ewwel proprjetà tiegħu b’self. Fl-isfond tal-Berġa ta’ Kastilja, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela spjega kif dawn il-miżuri t’inċentivi u għajnuna se jiġu sostnuti f’kuntest ta’ tkabbir ekonomiku li pajjiżna mistenni jesperjenza frott il-fiduċja minn barra u anki mid-domanda domestika. Spjega kif id-dejn nazzjonali mistenni jonqos ferm iżjed minn dak previst u s-sena li ġejja, il-Fond Monetarju Internazzjonali qed jistma li l-ekonomija Maltija se tikber sitt darbiet iżjed mill-medja taż-Żona Ewro. Il-Prim Ministru qal li quddiem riformi u l-akbar investiment ambjentali fl-istorja li se jibda kif imwiegħed, il-Gvern għandu prijoritajiet ċari b’enfasi fuq il-ġustizzja soċjali u kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar.

Ritratt (OPM)
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Following intense negotiations at the European Council, which Prime Minister Robert Abela attended, European leaders agreed on a joint gas purchase as well as a strategy to mitigate the rise in gas and energy prices. These were among the key conclusions of the European Council held in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

Following the communique published earlier this week and the relevant legislative proposal, work on the joint purchasing of gas between the 27 member states will be intensified in the coming days. At the end of this meeting, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that this agreement could also help Malta in shouldering the burden of assistance given by the Maltese Government to protect the livelihoods of our citizens and provide stability for our businesses.

Although Malta is covered by a contract that ensures the security of our energy supply, the framework for the joint purchasing of gas could help reduce energy prices globally, including the energy imported from the interconnector between Malta and Italy. Thus, Malta stands to gain from the agreement reached.

Dr Abela added that Maltese and Gozitan families will continue to enjoy economic and social stability due to the unchanging local energy prices as a result of the government’s support, which, this year, will reach €1 billion. The Prime Minister also noted that this strategy, as reflected in the conclusions of the European Council, encourages support for families and businesses on a European level and thus attests to the bold and decisive action taken by the Maltese Government in this area.

Prime Minister Robert Abela said that this milestone achievement reached by the European Council is a step in the right direction. Throughout the discussions, he called on the European Commission to continue monitoring gas and energy prices closely and, when necessary, propose action to mitigate an increase in prices. The Government of Malta also welcomes the strategy adopted, as reflected in the European Commission’s communique, as it will add flexibility to the use and implementation of EU funds. Through this flexibility, EU Cohesion Funds can be used for support in the energy sector.

Furthermore, considerations are being made to increase flexibility in the Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid, which would allow member states to provide aid through support schemes to private entities in various sectors, including transport and energy, up to a maximum of approximately €750,000 until the end of 2023. The European Council also discussed the possibility of simplifying the framework on permits for renewable energy projects, and Dr Abela said that through this, Malta could benefit greatly and quicken the process to achieve its decarbonisation objectives. Dr Abela referred to the European Commission’s commitment to supporting investment in renewable energy and supporting competitiveness in the EU and Malta. The conclusions also highlighted the need for investment in technologies that improve the efficiency of energy use.

Other thematic issues, including economic affairs, were also addressed during the European Council. Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that a social policy safeguarding families and businesses must be implemented at both a national and EU level. When discussing external affairs, European leaders reiterated their support for Ukraine, discussed EU-China relations, and looked forward to the UN Conference on Climate Change, COP27. Prime Minister Abela outlined the importance that at COP27, leaders must honour the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact to continue combatting climate change with long-term measures.

“When addressing the opening of this year’s edition of the Ernst & Young Conference ‘Malta Future Realised’, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Malta’s economic success is the result of the stability that the government has been offering to create a new prosperity for businesses and families. When referring to the results of the survey which were presented during the conference and showcased a rise in the interest shown by foreign investors, the Prime Minister said, “We want to ensure not only that we remain attractive to investors, but also that we keep attracting foreign direct investment.”

Dr Abela said that the survey carried out by EY is a key source of information for government policymakers working on stimulating economic growth and EY survey confirms trends that are backed by official statistics. According to the EY survey, the ratio of foreign investors that see themselves in Malta within ten years, is seven times more than those who do not see themselves in Malta within the same period. This demonstrates an increase from last year’s study, which stood at 5:1. Another key finding is that those who wish to expand their operation in Malta totalled to a half of those who participated in the survey, whereas last year a third of the respondents showed interest in expanding their operation in Malta.

Prime Minister Robert Abela added that over a period of twelve months, foreign direct investment in scientific activities, remote gaming and communications amongst others, increased by almost a quarter of a billion euro. “This means that for the first time, the total stock of foreign assets in these digital sectors, has reached a billion euro” the Prime Minister said, as he reiterated the government’s commitment to digitalise the Maltese economy. The Prime Minister added that the pandemic showcased how crucial this transformation is as we work towards achieving our carbon neutrality goals.

The international energy crisis that hit Europe as a result of the war in Ukraine, has shown us how vital it is for our nation to be as self-sufficient as possible in terms of its energy provision. Dr Abela said there is a clear environmental motive for becoming climate neutral, but the economics side of things are just as strong a reason, which is why we must generate more of our energy needs through clean renewable energy.

During his address, the Prime Minister said that despite international uncertainty and crises, including the pandemic, the productive capacity of Malta’s economy was sustained through a strong employment sector. In the light of this, the Prime Minister gave his reassurance that the Maltese government will once again ensure stability by shouldering the shock of international price changes, thus mitigating the impact on businesses and families. Moreover, firms who operate in Malta can rely on the Maltese government’s stance which successfully negotiated a number of derogations that will not negatively impact the productivity.

The Prime Minister ended his address by reiterating that he wants to see Malta’s future as one that is more socially just, more environmentally sustainable, and more dynamic.”

F’laqgħa ta’ qabel il-Budget mal-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tal-Lukandiera u r-Ristoranti (MHRA) fil-Berġa ta’ Kastilja, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela ħabbar li fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin se jibda l-iskavar ħalli mbagħad jimxi l-proċess tax-xogħol biex ikollna l-proġett ambizzjuż ta’ kampus ġdid tal-Istitut tal-Istudji Turistiċi fi Smart City.

Dan wara li fis-sajf li għadda ntlaħaq ftehim biex fi Smart City ikun hemm sit apposta għall-ITS u b’hekk jitwettaq proġett kapitali ieħor.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela rrimarka kif fl-aħħar xhur rajna settur turistiku li qed jirpilja mid-daqqiet tal-pandemija u llum wasalna għal seat load factor ta’ 90% fuq it-titjiriet.

Hawn semma kif se tibqa’ għaddejja ħidma biex jiżdiedu t-titjiriet lejn pajjiżna u sostna wkoll fuq il-ħtieġa ta’ linja nazzjonali tal-ajru viabbli.

Dr Abela rrimarka li huwa sodisfatt li din is-sena se naqbżu ż-żewġ miljun turist f’pajjiżna u li l-qasam turistiku jibqa’ settur kruċjali għall-ekonomija Maltija.

F’dan l-isfond huwa saħaq fuq il-prodott turistiku u aċċenna li l-Gvern huwa determinat li jibqa’ jinvesti fil-kwalità għas-settur turistiku.

F’dan il-kuntest il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela rrefera wkoll għall-kwalità tal-ħaddiem li jagħti servizz fil-qasam turistiku.

“Wara pandemija u waqt gwerra fl-Ewropa, l-ażjendi f’pajjiżna jibqgħu jitkellmu magħna dwar il-ħtieġa ta’ iktar ħaddiema. Dan il-fatt jixhed it-tkabbir f’pajjiżna li ma waqafx jikber u se jibqa’ jikber,” sostna il-Prim Ministru fil-laqgħa mal-MHRA.

Hawn qal li quddiem dan kollu rridu nkunu responsabbli u nħarrġu l-ħaddiema Maltin f’settur li jeżistu l-opportunitajiet.

Filwaqt li rringrazzja lil dawk involuti fil-qasam turistiku għall-investiment tagħhom biex Malta ttejjeb il-prodott turistiku tagħha, il-Prim Ministru saħaq li filwaqt li pajjiżi oħra jitkellmu dwar kif se jkollhom provvista tal-enerġija u li tkun affordabbli, pajjiżna qed iħares fuq kif irid jgħolli l-livell tal-prodott turistiku.

Min-naħa tiegħu, il-President tal-MHRA Tony Zahra ngħaqad mal-Prim Ministru dwar l-importanza tat-taħriġ u titjib fil-prodott turistiku Malti.

Saħaq li l-konnettività hija importanti għal gżira li tattira lit-turisti.

Dan filwaqt li rrikonoxxa kif is-sussidju tal-Gvern fil-qasam tal-enerġija għen ukoll lill-operaturi turistiċi.

Għal din il-laqgħa kien hemm preżenti wkoll il-Ministri Clyde Caruana, Clint Camilleri u Clayton Bartolo, is-Segretarju Parlamentari Andy Ellul u d-Deputati tal-Gvern Carmelo Abela u Cressida Galea.

F’laqgħa ta’ qabel il-Budget mal-Unjin għall-Infermiera u l-Qwiebel (MUMN) fil-Berġa ta’ Kastilja, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela wassal il-messaġġ li fis-settur tas-saħħa mhux biss dejjem jeħtieġ sens ta’ tmexxija iżda anke riżorsa umana b’saħħitha u l-gvern huwa kommess li jibqa’ jsaħħaħ dan.

Mar-rappreżentanti tal-MUMN, il-Prim Ministru qal li jqis lill-professjonisti fil-qasam tas-saħħa bħala s-sinsla tas-servizz li jrid jibqa’ jkun wieħed b’saħħtu, kif wera li hu fost l-aqwa fid-dinja, speċjalment waqt pandemija.

Dr Abela qal li għaż-żmien li ġej, il-prijorità se tkun il-prevenzjoni tal-mard u l-użu tax-xjenza biex bħala pajjiż nevitaw kumplikazzjonijiet ta’ saħħa matul il-ħajja.

Il-Prim Ministru rrefera għall-manifest elettorali ‘Malta Flimkien’, li fih pakkett ta’ proposti b’saħħithom għas-settur tas-saħħa u fost dawn semma l-aspett tas-saħħa mentali.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela qal li fuq dan l-aspett, fl-aħħar snin bdew jittieħdu numru ta’ passi importanti iżda jeħtieġ aktar passi li jkunu ta’ ħeffa biex nindirizzaw realtajiet li għandna fis-soċjetà.

Mal-MUMN, Dr Robert Abela rrefera għal ħafna xogħol li qed isir f’Monte Karmeli fejn qed tingħata kura speċjalizzata b’numru iżgħar ta’ pazjenti, xi ħaġa li anke l-Awditur Ġenerali nnota b’mod pożittiv.

Il-Prim Ministru qal li rridu wkoll nagħtu spinta lill-isptar il-ġdid għall-kura psikjatrika akuta li se jiġi ffinanzjat minn fondi li Malta kisbet mill-Pjan ta’ Rkupru.

Waqt li sema’ l-idea tal-MUMN, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela spjega wkoll li l-ħaddiema qed jinżammu fiċ-ċentru tad-deċiżjonijiet li qed jieħu l-gvern fosthom anke biex nilqgħu għall-impatti minn dak li għaddej fuq livell internazzjonali.

“Qed nagħtu għajnuniet biex inżommu stabbli l-prezzijiet tal-enerġija, il-fjuwil u l-gass. Dawn huma deċiżjonijiet li jingħaqdu ma’ ħafna oħrajn li qed iżommu b’saħħitha l-qagħda tal-ekonomija u tal-ħaddiema ta’ pajjiżna”, sostna l-Prim Ministru Robert Abela.

F’dan il-kuntest, il-President tal-MUMN Paul Pace tkellem dwar il-kundizzjonijiet tal-ħaddiema tas-saħħa u fisser li investiment fil-qasam tas-saħħa, huwa investiment fin-nies.

Għal din il-laqgħa kien hemm preżenti wkoll id-Deputat Prim Ministru Chris Fearne, il-Ministri Clyde Caruana u Jo Etienne Abela, is-Segretarju Parlamentari Andy Ellul u d-Deputati tal-Gvern Malcolm Paul Agius Galea u Romilda Baldacchino Zarb.