The Covid-19 wage supplement will be extended to February and, if requered, even until March and April, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday.

He was speaking during a meeting with Chamber of SMEs.

On Sunday, Abela had said that the wage supplement would be extended beyond January for certain sectors. The government has been facing calls to extend the supplement for all sectors until at least March.

“This is the time to show how resilient we truly are as a country. The wage supplement will remain for as long as needed.”

Abela said there will be no compromise with businesses.

He said the government has already dished out some €680m in assistance since the pandemic began.

The meeting also touched upon other issues, including energy and transport prices, with Abela saying that the government is committed to keeping prices as stable as possible.