Morning Briefing
Abela calls Budget 2027 ‘Europe’s only progressive budget’ while defending new TCN fees
Prime Minister Robert Abela has described Budget 2027 as Europe’s only “progressive budget”, while defending new fees that third-country nationals (TCNs) will face from next year. Addressing parliament on Tuesday, Abela highlighted a €1,000 annual bonus for workers, pension increases and tax cuts for parents, arguing that the government had maintained economic stability despite international uncertainty, war and rising oil prices. He said Malta had kept its deficit below 3% of GDP and its debt-to-GDP ratio at 47%. Abela also defended measures requiring short-term non-EU workers to pay a €400 annual infrastructure fee, alongside charges for private cars, buses and childcare. He said the fees were intended to encourage worker retention and ensure foreign workers contributed to services they used, adding that Labour’s migration policy had reduced net migration by a third. Responding to Opposition leader Alex Borg’s criticism, Abela accused the PN of hypocrisy over foreign workers and defended legislation requiring equal pay for equal work regardless of nationality or residency status. (Times of Malta)
Enemalta to install new electricity cable between Manoel Island and Sliema
Enemalta will begin work on Wednesday to install a new electricity cable between Manoel Island and Sliema Ferries, with traffic disruptions expected along the seafront for around two months. The works will require the closure of the bus lane running parallel to the seafront, while traffic heading out of Sliema will be reduced to one lane. The project involves laying a 4.5-kilometre, 11kV cable to strengthen the electricity network in Gżira and Sliema, where demand has risen considerably in recent years. Enemalta said the existing cable had accumulated numerous joints over years of service, increasing its vulnerability to faults. The new cable will provide a direct connection between the Manoel Island Distribution Centre and central Sliema, offering greater capacity to meet growing demand. A further 2.7 kilometres of low-voltage cables will also be installed to reinforce the local network. The works are expected to take approximately two months to complete. (Maltatoday)
PN MP says Attorney General ‘intentionally weakened’ her office
PN MP Mark Anthony Sammut has accused Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg of “intentionally weakening” her office following two high-profile murder acquittals within two months. Sammut was speaking after Lorin Scicluna was cleared of murdering Lassana Cisse in a racially motivated attack in 2019 and Yorgen Fenech was acquitted of involvement in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. He claimed experienced lawyers had left the Attorney General’s office, leaving it understaffed with trainee lawyers who were inadequately supported. Sammut argued that prosecutors were consequently arriving in court underprepared and with weak strategies, adding that newly graduated lawyers could not be expected to compete against Malta’s most experienced legal professionals. Scicluna was acquitted of murdering Cisse and attempting to murder two other men. The verdict prompted widespread public criticism and renewed debate over the jury system and the prosecution’s performance. (Times of Malta)
Budget measures made little difference to household finances for most residents, survey finds
More than half of Malta’s residents, 54.4%, said Budget measures had made no noticeable difference to their household finances, while 34.2% reported an improvement, according to an independent survey by Marketing Advisory Services (MAS). The proportion reporting improvements was significantly higher among people aged 65 and over. The cost of living emerged as the leading Budget priority, with 42.3% calling for lower prices for food and essential goods. Another 39.5% wanted electricity, water and fuel prices to remain stable. While 47.5% said they could comfortably cover their expenses and save, 14.9% struggled to meet essential costs or could not cover them. Overall, 82% said they could meet an unexpected €500 expense from their own funds. This fell to 31.5% among financially struggling households. Although 82.9% felt in control of their day-to-day finances, only 39% had a clear idea of how they would manage financially in retirement. The online survey interviewed 362 residents aged 16 and over between 18 September and 11 October 2026. (Newsbook)