Prime Minister Robert Abela praised the Budget for offering support to people to combat the high cost of living, while also implementing measures which he said are ambitious and look towards the future.

"The future is bright," he said.

He said that it would have been easy to use the global economic trouble as an excuse, but the government implemented measures to help Maltese citizens strive.

He took the opportunity to praise the economic stability which stood firm even though there is a global economic struggle.

"With us, you know where we stand. This is what we did in the pandemic and this is what we will continue to do," he said.

He mentioned how there was speculation that the government will increase the price of gas, electricity and fuels after the elections which took place earlier this year. However, he praised his government for not doing so and instead said they invested hundreds of millions in government subsidies to keep the costs down. As a result, inflation is the lowest in Europe, he added.

He pointed out how other European countries are discussing whether they have enough energy for winter, but Abela clarified that the government is guaranteeing stability.

He went on to mention the multiple social benefits that the government added, particularly for pensioners who will receive €12.50 a week.

"We are a dynamic government that converts challenges into opportunities," he said.

He also spoke about how the government is reducing the burden on first-time buyers, where they will receive a grant of €10,000.

He also noted how the government is constantly working towards offering equal opportunities for young people. He pointed out how all year 7 students will receive a laptop.

When talking about disabilities, he mentioned how the government will increase the carer grant from €500 to €4,500.

When asked a question about the traffic, he said that the government has already implemented free public transport, but he believes that there needs to be more investment in better traffic management. 

He also said that the Luqa junction project and central link project are not finished yet. 

When asked about the metro and the Malta - Gozo tunnel, he said that studies are still ongoing for both projects. For the tunnel, he also said the it is undergoing the procurement process, but he said that it was not the government's priority. 

When asked whether the new COLA mechanism will encourage under-declaration, he said that when mechanisms are implemented there will always be means of exploitation, but checks will be carried out to prevent this from happening.

He was asked why the government cut funds for Richmond Foundation's mental health helpline. He replied by saying that the government have an excellent relationship with the Richmond Foundation, especially because the government invests heavily, he added. He also mentioned how recently Richmond Foundation were given a new plot of land with Puttinu Cares.