Bernard Grech uncontested for PN leadership race / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 30 April 2022

Updated 1330

Malta’s financial sustainability at high risk

Malta is facing a ‘high risk’ to its medium- and long-term financial sustainability, the European Commission has warned, calling for policies to rein in public spending. In its Fiscal Sustainability Report for 2021, published earlier this week, Brussels moved Malta from a ‘medium risk’ to the high-risk category for both its medium- and long-term public financing. The EC warns that assuming Malta’s fiscal policy remains the same, government debt would steadily increase to reach around 73 per cent of GDP by 2032, well above the 60% limit.

Bernard Grech uncontested for leadership race
Bernard Grech will face no opposition to keep his PN leadership post. The PN said that with the nomination period endiong at Noon on Saturday, no challengers have put their name. With Grech contesting alone, he will only need a simple majority vote among party councillors to be confirmed as PN leader. The PN statute requires party leader is obliged to step down after losing the general election, giving party members the opportunity to elect a new candidate should they wish to do so. A Maltatoday survey earlier this week found some 70% of PN councillors willing to give Grech a second term.

Covid-19 update: Health authorities have reported 136 new positive cases of Covid-19, with the number of known active cases dropping to 3,528. 360 recovered overnight.

Morning Briefing

PN urges stakeholder consultation over tax reform

The Nationalist Party will be holding a series of stakeholder meetings on the proposed overhaul of Malta’s tax regime, after claiming that government failed to consult with stakeholders in the process. The PN was reacting to a surprise statement by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana who revealed a new corporate tax system would be in please by 2025. Finance Shadow Minister Jerome Caruana Cilia insisted that such a decision to transform the tax regime should have only taken place after proper public consultation with stakeholders. “Unfortunately, neither the Opposition nor other stakeholders have not been consulted with. On such sensitive and crucial issues for our country, there was always close collaboration between government and Opposition,” he said.

PM Abela calls for regeneration and change

Prime Minister Robert Abela said the Labour Party has a duty to be “brave” and take decisions that bring about change to improve Malta. In his first major address to party delegates following the electoral victory, Abela insisted that it was imperative that “regeneration and change” continue to happen.
“We need to take decisions. This is crucial. Those who do not take decisions fail. We need to be courageous and take decisions,” he urged the delegates during the first day of the party’s general conference.

Covid-19 Update: Active cases dropped to 3,752 with 178 new infections while 403 recovered on Friday. No new deaths were reported.