While two Editors chose their leading op-ed to focus on the economic impact of the pandemic, two others have taken a deep look into the Foreign Minister’s Facebook posts.
The Times of Malta focuses on the impact of the current pandemic on busineses, and welcomes the fact that unlike what happened in the US, local businesses have respective the directives of the authorities. It also welcomes government’s decision to create a safety net to save thousands of workers from losing their jobs. However, there is a limit, the Editor argues, to what businesses can legitimally expect, since no government, even those with ample financial resources, can buffer the impact of the pandemic on the economy to the extent that business people would expect. These support measures now need to be strengthened by private investment to ensure that the economy is prepared for the next downturn whenever it comes.
L-Orizzont agrees that Government has done a lot to assist troubled businesses, by launching an investment and aid package worth over 2 billion euro. The Editorial notes how Malta’s efforts were welcomed by international credit rating agencies like Fitch and Moody’s.
The Independent takes cue from recent musings by Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo on Facebook, expressing agreement that the EU should live up to its principles of solidarity by coming up with a serious effort to tackle this issue remains to be seen. The Editor argues that very often the EU has taken a half-hearted approach which, on paper, seemingly attempts to assist its southern members, but at the end of the day does little, if anything, to alleviate the difficulties that Malta (and Italy) faces as more and more migrants leave Libya in search of greener pastures in Europe.
In-Nazzjon’s Editor also looks into Minister Bartolo’s thoughts, but although implying agreement on the arguments he brings about, chastises him for taking little or no action about them. The Editorial refers to previous comments against corruption, which were never followed up by a precise political stance.
