The news that two in every three small and medium-sized enterprises (66%) in Malta and Gozo believe that our country is heading in the wrong direction further confirms what the Nationalist Party has long been stating - that Malta urgently requires a new economic model, one based on quality that attracts sustainable investment, the PN said Friday.

Malta and its economy need a change in direction - a change that only the PN can deliver, the party said. Those who created the problem cannot be the ones to solve it.

The survey carried out by the Malta Chamber of SMEs in collaboration with MISCO for the third quarter of 2025 also lists the reasons why - according to SME owners - Malta is heading in the wrong direction. These include (in this order): lack of planning and infrastructure problems, lack of leadership and political direction, government-imposed over-regulation, economic and financial pressures, social and governance concerns, and environmental responsibility, the PN said.

The survey also shows that 79% of SME owners are either uncertain or believe it is not wise to invest over the next twelve months. While more than half of SMEs (54%) say they are uncertain, 25% stated they are not prepared to invest, with only 21% viewing the current period as an opportunity for investment.

The SME Barometer, published yesterday, once again confirms what the PN has been consistently emphasising - the need for Malta to take a different economic direction that restores confidence and optimism among business owners and both local and foreign investors.

In the survey, SMEs were also asked which issues they believe the Government must address most urgently. They pointed to overpopulation (36%), lack of good governance (31%), corruption (26%), safeguarding quality of life (23%), and the rising cost of living (22%), the statement said.

When asked what is harming their business most, owners said that apart from labour shortages, unfair and excessive competition, the traffic crisis and the high cost of living are also negatively impacting their operations.

For years, the Opposition has been urging the Government to address these challenges, and has presented a number of proposals to ensure that the Maltese public no longer has to face the problems and difficulties brought about by this Government's lack of vision and its style of politics designed only to benefit the privileged few.

The Maltese people want change, and the latest survey by the Malta Chamber of SMEs confirms this, the PN said.

Only a new Nationalist Government can provide renewed hope and peace of mind to the people of Malta and Gozo, and to business owners across our country, the PN concluded.