The Michele Peresso Group has signed an exclusivity collaboration agreement with UPIM of Italy to open four large establishments in Malta and Gozo.

One will be in Valletta's Republic Street and will open in September, Emmanuel Peresso said at the inauguration of the UPIM Department Store at "The Duke" shopping centre in Victoria on Friday.

The Michele Peresso Group will be investing e6 million over the next years in these new four establishments. Moreover, 55 new jobs will be created, 10 of which have already been employed for the Gozo store. Both the Michele Peresso Group and UPIM have specifically requested that all applicants for UPIM Gozo are residents of Gozo.

UPIM has five departments – UPIM women, UPIM men, UPIM kids, UPIM home and UPIM perfumery. The Gozo store will give free gifts with every purchase up to 31 March. Moreover, in line with government awareness to safeguard the environment, UPIM will be distributing free of charge trendy re-usable 'Environmental Friendly Bags' with every purchase.

The store will also introduce a Loyalty Card for all its customers.

In his speech, Mr Peresso, speaking in the presence of Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono, was quite blunt. It is right, he said, that the government supports hotels and the manufacturing industry, but what about the medium-sized and small companies that today employ around 65,000 and very often have to absorb unnecessary costs and subsidise the costs of others? It is high time, he added, that the authorities help the self-employed.