The majority of the planned 2018 budget measures were implemented throughout the last year, 6% higher than the average implementation rate that was reached over the past five years, the government announced today.

Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar said that 178 measures were implemented from the 2018 budget, with 45 measures from previous budgets also being introduced

1,250 measures have been implemented in total over the past five years since Labour was elected to government.

Among these implemented measures, Cutajar said that this year there was a push in the Blockchain industry, free transport for students across all schools, free MATSEC examinations, renewable energy schemes, better pensions and social services, and investment in the health sector amongst other things.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that the publication of the report ‘It-Twettiq Tal-Bagit 2018’ are an exercise in accountability and transparency.

He also mentioned unseen measures which aren’t heard of often such as help being given to adoptive and foster parents.

Scicluna added that these publications give the public knowledge of how the government is spending their money, with the details of which measures were implemented and which were not all detailed in the report.