The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Industry has, for two days in a row, called for the budget to be approved, saying that leaving the country without one is “the height of irresponsibility”.

We could not agree more. The Chamber has urged MPs – we know who they are referring to – to put aside political differences and allow the country’s financial plan for the year 2013 to be implemented. Failure to do so would lead to faltering business, economy and the delay of many projects that are tied to EU funding and investment.

We reiterate, we could not agree more. Even the Labour Party has stressed that apart from an alteration to the tax issue, it would keep the budget intact and implemented if voted into office in the upcoming election.

The first few months of 2013 are budgeted for, but despite all the cries by Franco Debono, he should realise that the whole country wants this budget and it wants it to pass. Joe Citizen could not give two hoots about the ‘oligarchy’ and all manner of other explanations put forward by the rebel MP. The fact of the matter is that the incumbent government will call an election for early spring, at the latest, and that in voting against the budget, the only thing that will be achieved is personal ‘satisfaction’. In shooting down the budget, Dr Debono will become James Dean – a rebel without a cause.

We have always said that we understand some of Dr Debono’s arguments and that we even supported some of them, particularly the criticism of the BWSC contract, Arriva and the splitting of Home Affairs and Justice. But what he is doing now is harmful to the country and the arguments that he is putting forward are nonsensical – as is his justification for doing so. Europe is floundering and Malta is heading into an election – very soon. Failure to pass this budget will have consequences on the economy and there will be no one else to blame apart from the person that shoots it down. The consequences will affect industry, tourism, EU funding, Joe Citizen and practically every facet that the government has done well to hold together in terms of economic progress during the crisis that has afflicted Europe.

It is not often that the Chamber makes such declarations – in fact, to see such pleading appeals is not something we have seen before. There is genuine worry in the tone of what has been written and it is amply clear that there is much at stake. The message of those appeals and this leading article is clear – do not cut our collective noses just to spite your own face. Put pique aside – vote the budget through. The time of reckoning will arrive soon enough.