A basic shopping list compiled by l-orizzont in April 2020, which at the time cost €65.98, now costs €90.56. In less than five years, the increase amounts to 37.2%, the Nationalist Party said Friday.
This calculation was based on discounted prices and special offers; had the items been purchased at their recommended retail prices, the increase would have been 45.8%.
When one considers the limited increase in wages and pensions over these five years, it becomes clear why the rising cost of living is weighing heavily on more people each day.
The shopping list, consisting of essential items such as pasta, eggs, milk, corned beef, couscous, packet soup, cereals, tea, and tomato pulp, now costs over €24 more than it did back then.
The PN representatives pointed out that the Central Bank's report states that around 45% of Malta's wealth is concentrated among the richest 10% of the population. This explains why many Maltese families are receiving an increasingly smaller share of the GDP.
This has led to an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis for the Maltese people.
Despite all this, Robert Abela and his associates have their heads buried in the sand, showing complete insensitivity to the struggles of many.
The burden has also grown for the elderly. While pensions have seen minimal increases, these have been far outpaced by the rising cost of living. In addition to food and drink becoming more expensive, many elderly individuals are also struggling with increased medication costs, often having to pay out of pocket due to widespread shortages.
Meanwhile, the gap between rich and poor continues to widen.
The PN said it refuses to sit idly by while the working class is left behind.
As proof of this, the PN has proposed concrete solutions to ease today's burdens:
- The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) should not be taxed;
- Tax credits for employers to prevent them from further increasing prices to offset the rising cost of living;
- A National Fund to support industries that import or export, helping them manage the additional costs caused by inflation;
- The establishment of a new economic model with emerging sectors that create high-quality jobs with better wages for workers.
Despite these ready-made solutions presented by the PN, the Government has not only ignored them but actively voted against them.
The Government is turning a blind eye to the reality reflected in the statistics.
134,000 full-time employees - almost half of Malta's full-time workforce - earn less than the average salary. This means tens of thousands of Maltese families are struggling to maintain a dignified standard of living.
The Central Bank's report confirms that the gap between rich and poor is widening. In Malta, the wealthiest earn up to ten times more than those who are struggling to make ends meet.
Yet, despite all this, Robert Abela remains indifferent to the concerns of Maltese families.
For Robert Abela, the priority is his political family; those close to him and those he wants or needs to keep happy. For him, it is more important to shield his associates from a magisterial inquiry than to protect Maltese families from the burdens weighing them down.
The difference is clear: while Abela and his associates ignore the daily struggles of Maltese families, the PN remains the only shield for those suffering and the only party presenting real solutions.
The PN said it will continue to work tirelessly for fair policies that ensure a society where prosperity is measured not just by GDP figures, but by the quality of life for all.
The press conference was addressed by Shadow Minister for Family and Social Security Albert Buttigieg, Shadow Minister for Finance Graham Bencini, and Shadow Minister for the Fight Against the Rising Cost of Living Ivan Castillo.