Budget Day came and went on Monday, as Parliament sat for almost three hours and listened to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana’s annual speech to lay out the government’s plans for the upcoming year.
Caruana addressed Parliament before a packed Parliamentary house announcing the government’s economic plan, with wide-reaching tax cuts for parents being the headline measure.
It was Caruana’s fifth Budget as Finance Minister, and Prime Minister Robert Abela had promised that this is to be not just the best one yet, but the best one ever.
Caruana met President Myriam Spiteri Debono to present the Budget before making his way to Parliament – the surroundings of which being somewhat louder than usual, as NGOs and activists mounted a national protest over the government’s controversial planning reforms while the Budget is ongoing.
Relive the speech with The Malta Independent as it happened.
21:31: That’s that as far as activity in Parliament goes.
You can find our summaries on different parts of the Budget right here:
Key measure - Parents to see income tax slashed
COLA for the coming year will be €4.66 per week
Government increases social investment by €120 million
Large-scale land reclamation project to begin outside Freeport perimeter
Pensioners born before 1962 to benefit from further adjustments
Government pledges more energy, water and mobility projects
Government to boost education, healthcare, youth wellbeing
Major security, justice, and equality investments
Infrastructure, education, and cultural projects announced for Gozo
You can also find how Malta’s constituted bodies have reacted to the Budget live as it happened, over here.
All that’s left for me to say is a thank you for following, and good night!
21:26: Parliament is adjourned for the night – Caruana’s speech came in just short of the three-hour mark. Each Ministry will now have a plenary session dedicated to discussing its own estimates in the coming weeks, before the Budget will likely be approved prior to Parliament rising for the Christmas recess.
Before that though, today week will see Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg produce his party’s official reply to the Budget – his first since being elected as PN leader at the end of summer.
On the following day, Prime Minister Robert Abela will address Parliament in reply to Borg.
21:23: “The country needs a responsible government which implements real proposals which make a difference, not populist ones. People care not about how much you say, but what you say. Credibility is sacrosanct,” Caruana says.
This is a government which thinks about the future and which is ready to answer generational challenges, Caruana said.
He lauded the tax cuts for parents – which after close to three hours now feel like they were announced an eon ago – as the most important Budget measure that he has announced as Finance Minister.
“When you are truly a visionary, politics can change the country’s destiny. Our country needs to move towards that type of politics: policies where the end goal is to think in the long-term, not to react to a few polls,” Caruana says.
He launches into his final battle cries, with table banging and cheers from his colleagues to back him up.
Malta deserves the best future, he says, as does its children.
“For a United Malta, for a Malta which chooses hope over darkness, for a Malta which chooses progress, for a Malta which never gives up, for Malta first above all else, for Malta to be the author of her own story – because only with a strong economy can we offer the best future for our children,” Caruana concludes.
His colleagues break out into applause, and Prime Minister Robert Abela can be heard telling his Minister “well done”, as the camera pans back to Speaker Anglu Farrugia.
21:18: Caruana says he has now reached his concluding notes.
“We cannot be carried away by the current,” Caruana says, as he refers to the poor economic performance being seen in larger countries in Europe.
Some barbs to the Opposition are presented too: “The moment we are irresponsible in the way we spend the people’s wealth is the moment we endanger the future of our children.”
This is why the country needs policies which open its opportunities, not which “sell tomorrow for today.”
21:14: There will be AI in the public service too: MITA will be starting a Centre of Excellence next year to train public service workers in the use of AI.
There will also be new servizz.gov centres in Gozo, Birzebbuga, and Marsaxlokk, and all of these centres will see extended opening hours which will include opening on Saturdays.
21:11: Onto culture and public service next – the last chapter, after more than 100 pages of this speech.
A pilot project called Creative Art Spaces led by the Malta Arts Council will see collaboration with local performance art groups to identify sites which can be used by private companies in the cultural sector.
The Malta Film Commission is, Caruana says, at the final stages of paperwork for the building of Malta’s first soundstage – another project that has been a long-time coming.
Restoration work, meanwhile, will continue on the Cottonera Lines, the Margerita Lines, and restoration will start at the former Tram Station in Marsa.
The City Gate Arcade in Valletta is also set to be “strongly renovated.”
21:08: A brief on Malta’s foreign affairs: Malta will be introducing a scheme for Maltese descendants who live abroad and are aged between 18 and 30 years old to be helped to come to Malta to work or study.
21:06: There are reforms coming in the justice sector too: Caruana mentions reforms to the compilation of evidence process, the family courts, and the media as some which will be concluded.
The government will be offering support to victims of domestic violence to get alternative accommodation while separation proceedings are ongoing. “This measure is designed to truly help victims of domestic violence escape from the vicious cycle that there is in an abusive relationship,” Caruana says.
21:03: Next chapter: Home Affairs.
The police’s IT system will be re-done for €6 million, while police stations in Paola, Mosta, Sliema, Qormi, and Rabat, Gozo, will be upgraded and restored.
Two new fire engines specifically catered towards any fires that result from electric cars are going to be purchased, while the Armed Forces of Malta will also get some new toys: a new helicopter and a new aircraft by 2028 which next year will cost the government €10 million.
The AFM will also be taking back a building in Ħal Far which for years has been used to house illegal immigrants. The building today is not being used as a result of the “effective government politics” in the immigration sector, Caruana says.
20:58: Part of what used to be the Rabat Primary School will be restored and transformed into the Vajringa Centre for Music and the Arts.
Next year, the government will start the process to identify a site for an athletics track in Gozo, while work on the €20 million Victoria Park in Rabat will continue.
Caruana leafed through a host of planned projects for the Gozo General Hospital which are earmarked for “the coming years”, such as: a new helipad, an expansion to operating theatres, a new Renal Unit, an improved Coronary Care Unit, a new High Dependence Unit, a new Hyperbaric Unit and a new pharmacy.
The new Gozo Museum in Rabat and a Viticulture Museum in Qala will also be inaugurated in 2026.
20:53: Gozo – “an island of villages” – is the next chapter.
Gozo hasn’t traditionally been included as a chapter in a few past Budgets as measures were mixed in throughout the Finance Minister’s speech but, presumably to keep one avenue of PN criticism quiet, this year that has changed.
Next year the government will commission a study to analyse how the influx of traffic around the centre of Rabat, Gozo, can be handled better - with congestion reduced and public transport strengthened.
There will be a new Task Force to look into how the Mgarr Harbour can be used more efficiently, and a public call for offers for the start of the Gozo Rural Airfield in Xewkija will also be issued in the coming months.
20:50: More community projects are announced.
The masterplan in Ta’Qali will continue with work on the jogging and cycling track starting next together with new rainwater reservoirs – a total spend of €6 million. No mention of any fancy gravel, mind you.
The biggest capital project expected to start next year meanwhile is the implementation of the masterplan for the Birzebbuga Promenade.
There will be rainwater gathering projects in Kirkop, Zebbuga, and Marsa, while the underground floodwater project will need to be extended from Birkirkara to the San Gwann Industrial Estate in order to tackle flooding close to Mater Dei Hospital.
20:46: The idea of paying people to forgo their driver’s licence has also made it to the Budget.
Youths aged up to 30 will be able to return their driver’s licence in exchange for a grant of €5,000 per year for five years – a total of €25,000. Alternatively, they can renounce their car licence in favour of a motorcycle licence for €1,500 per year instead.
Grants for electric cars – which were reduced last year – will remain the same.
20:43: On road infrastructure, Caruana says that the Road Transport Investigation Bureau will be launched in 2026, and in the same year Gozo will have its fleet of buses fully electrified.
Work on the regeneration of the Marsaskala promenade will continue and will include a new fast ferry terminal for one of three new ferry routes to be introduced in 2026: the other two being from Sliema to Bugibba, and then Bugibba to Gozo.
20:40: There will be more work to promote local food products, particularly fish: children have ‘Fish Fridays’ to look forward to at public schools, where they will be served with fresh fish with their lunch and be taught about the benefits of Maltese fishing.
Kids will also get fresh milk together with their fruit and vegetables.
20:38: Welcome news for anyone with pets: a new animal hospital is – after many missed deadlines and stonewalls of silence – about to be opened.
Caruana says that preparations are ongoing so that “in the coming weeks” an animal hospital will begin operating. Veterinary services will be offered there between 8pm and 8am, on Sundays, and on Public Holidays.
20:37: On agriculture, the government will introduce a new voluntary scheme for retired farmers or farmers who are about to retire to be able to transfer their land to young professional farmers. There will also be fiscal incentives to encourage the sale and purchase of agricultural land.
A new Pitkalija will also be built, and the Pitkalija will be re-opened in Gozo to strengthen local farmers over there.
20:34: The Finance Minister moves on to green spaces – Project Green’s department – saying that there are plenty of projects currently ongoing and this will continue in 2026.
The new year will see progress on major projects such as Vjal ir-Rihan in San Gwann, Triq Sant’Anna in Floriana, the underground parking in Cospicua, and the Sustainable Innovation Hub in Birzebbuga which will replace the San Lucjan fuel plant.
20:32: A minor slip-up in Caruana’s speech – perhaps surprising that it’s his first one in two hours – but he’s back on track with environmental measures next, saying that Malta has among the cheapest energy prices in the EU.
He says that the manufacturing and testing of the €300 million second interconnector will have concluded by the first quarter of 2026, allowing for the 99 kilometre cable to then start being laid.
When it comes to water, an extension to the distribution of New Water to impact around 16 kilometres in the north of the island will be concluded by the start of 2026.
20:28: A Coeliac Bank Transfer System will replace the existing vouchers system, with those eligible now able to receive €85 per month – up from €65 per month.
An Obesity Clinic will also be opened, combining medical, nutritional, psychological and physical health interventions for those who need it.
Three Regional Mental Health Centres will be opened in 2026 – these being in Cospicua, the centre of Malta and the north of Malta.
Meanwhile, the Health Centres in Qormi and Gzira will have their opening hours extended to being all-hours (24 hours a day, seven days a week) while the Health Centre in Rabat, Gozo, will remain open until midnight.
20:24: Moving onto health, the Neonatal (ICU) and Paediatric Units will be extended while there will be an investment in a second Obstetric Theatre as well.
There will also be investment at Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre for a day ward dedicated to Haematology. A Fast-Track Online Referral System for quick management of suspected gynaecological cancer will also be introduced.
A new Centre for Blood, Plasma, Stem Cells and Platelets will be opened while work will continue at the principal block of St Luke’s Hospital. Karen Grech Hospital will be relocated to a temporary location to help this project take place.
20:18: As for sports, the Handball Pavillion will be extended into a multifunctional sports complex with new halls and dressing rooms, while the Marsa Sports Complex – now including a weightlifting centre, squash, and netball courts – will be inaugurated.
A new National Tennis Centre will be opened in Pembroke, and €1 million will be invested in the Special Olympics Malta NGO.
20:15: Stipends will be increasing. Caruana says that stipends will increase by 15% - a measure which will leave some €6 million more in youths’ pockets.
The measure offering a free six-month gym membership to youths will also continue, and indeed it will be extended. Today it applies to those born between 2005 and 2007 – but when re-launched it will apply to those born between 2004 and 2009. It’s a one-time thing, though, so if you’ve already benefitted from it, you’re out of luck.
20:12: We move on to health and education.
€13 million will be invested in renovating and creating new educational spaces, while 20,000 pieces of digital equipment will be given to 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th year students. There will be a €500 grant for families who have students in Year 10 and Year 11 for investment in digital equipment for them.
20:08: There will be an increase in at least one expense – but it won’t be locals paying it: Caruana announces that the eco-contribution paid by tourists will increase from €0.50 per night to €1.50 per night. This will finance more investment in infrastructure and environment of certain areas, Caruana says.
20:06: In the construction sector, Caruana says that the government will commission a study to see how buildings built from 2030 onwards can be more energy efficient and ultimately produce more energy than they consume.
The Malta Property Foundation will also publish an online Property Price Register which will allow anyone to see comprehensive data with regards to transactions in the property market.
20:03: Some interesting regeneration and family open space projects are also in the pipeline.
Caruana says that the government is close to issuing a public call for the development of Selmun Palace and Fort Campbell. Fort Campbell would be turned into a new public open space, while the “maximum economic use” would be extracted from Selmun Palace “in a sustainable manner and in full respect of its cultural heritage.”
A public call for an open space with underground parking will also be issued in Sliema, and a public call will be issued for a Family Amusement Park in Ta’Qali so to increase visitors to the Artisanal Village over there.
20:00: A new measure which private sectors may enjoy is government assistance to employers so that they give a raise to long-standing workers.
A new Micro Invest mechanism will be dedicated to this. Workers who have been at a company for over four years and who get a raise will see 65% of that raise (up to €780 per year) covered by the government. If you happen to be working in Gozo and get a raise, then the government will cover 80% of that raise (up to €960 per year).
The upper limit for those benefitting from the Micro Invest scheme will increase from €45,000 per year to €65,000 per year for Malta-based companies and €80,000 per year for Gozo-based companies.
19:57: There’s more when it comes to digitisation: Caruana says that government wants a “future-proof” Malta, which is why it is announcing a €100 million investment in all of the techy buzzwords: AI, Internet of Things, cybersecurity, Augmented and Virtual Reality, blockchain, and robotics.
This investment will be through various schemes.
€50 million meanwhile has been reserved for helping self-employed people and small businesses through a list of measures agreed upon with social partners.
19:54: Caruana announces a new measure for Artificial Intelligence – aptly titled “AI for everyone.”
The government will “place the power of AI in everyone’s hands” through free courses, national certifications, and practical sessions for parents, students, workers, and the elderly.
“We will show you how AI can help you study better, work quicker, and live a more comfortable life,” Caruana says. He says that when people finish their course, they’ll be given a free subscription to an AI service like ChatGPT or Gemini.
Work on this is at an advanced stage and is expected to be launched early next year, Caruana says.
19:51: Here’s something else which has long been mooted: land reclamation.
Caruana says that the government is working so that next year the process of a “large scale land reclamation” project is kicked off. The reclamation would be around the perimeter of the Freeport and would be for industrial use.
The idea is to attract maritime activity, but also to relocate certain commercial activities to this zone so to create new open spaces for families.
19:49: Caruana runs through multiple sectors: blockchain earns a mention, as does video game development, the iGaming sector – where Caruana says the government will look at legislation on indirect taxation – is also mentioned, as are family businesses.
He says that work on a space for SMEs in Hal Far is ongoing and INDIS Malta is expected to conclude these works within the next two years. Speaking of INDIS, there will be a new law to regulate both it and Malta Enterprise, “particularly in how industrial land is allocated.”
Caruana doesn’t mention it, but this may have been prompted by the public inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia: the industrial site where that tragedy happened had been allocated to a private operator by the government.
The government is considering issuing an international call for the establishment of a free-zone logistics hub near the Malta International Airport, with the possibility of a direct connection to the Freeport.
19:42: Onto the next chapter: “A strong economy for the future” (that future theme has indeed been recurring).
Caruana runs through a number of schemes and investments catered to start-ups, and refers to the launching of the country’s first High Performance Computer which he says will be available to SMEs and start-ups for free – saving them €25,000.
On investment, Caruana says that a legal amendment will be tabled to allow youths aged between 16 and 18 years of age become entrepreneurs “in a safe and regulated manner.” The legal changes will allow these youths to carry out commercial acts and operate bank accounts under a structure which is adept for their age.
19:38: On social and affordable accommodation, Caruana says that several schemes will be extended.
The Nikru Biex Nassistu will continue, and the €10,000 grant across ten years for first time buyers will also remain in place.
Talks are ongoing with banks to make it easier for those on low incomes to use social loans to buy their homes, Caruana says, as he adds that new changes are also coming to help owners restore vacant housing so that they can be rented out on the same terms of the Nikru Biex Nassistu scheme.
The equity sharing scheme will be extended to apply to those who are 25 years of age, having previously applied to those who are 30 years or older.
As for the Causa Mortis, people who inherit a property which was being used as their residence pay a lowered 3.5% tax on the first €200,000 of its value – that will be extended to apply to the first €400,000 instead.
19:34: The government will start discussions with social partners to increase the Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave while also improving Parental Leave.
“In these discussions, we want to agree on an introduction for additional leave for prospective parents,” Caruana says.
Self-employed people will, from next year, be eligible for Parental Leave and for Bereavement Leave and Miscarriage Leave as well, Caruana says.
Caruana says that in order to strengthen people’s work-life balance, there will be a “collective effort” for remote working to be extended to any work sector where possible.
19:31: Caruana details investments at St Vincent de Paule, referring to several renovations and equipment which has already been done and announced.
Something new is a pilot project with five kidney dialysis machines - an initial step toward building a full 18-machine modern dialysis service. Caruana says that there will be more investment in the coming year in new clinics to cater for a population which is living longer.
19:28: The Carer at Home grant will increase by €500, meaning that it now stands up to €9,000 per year.
Caruana says that work will continue to implement the new strategy for dementia which runs till 2031, with this work including the opening of a new centre for people with dementia in Sliema.
A holistic assessment service for diabetics who are not being followed upon is also being worked on, he says.
19:25: Caruana speaks of the proposal for people to be auto-enrolled into an occupational pension: “There has been a lot of work up to today, and there is a general agreement with social partners on the introduction of auto-enrolment in our country, but there remains what to build upon in the legal framework. We are in final discussions to come out with the best possible product,” Caruana says.
Meanwhile, €3.5 million has been allocated to address past “injustices” - this year for those who works with Telemalta between 1978 and 1979, ex Malta Drydocks and Malta Shipbuilding workers who in 2003 were “arbitrarily” transferred to Industrial Projects and Services Ltd resulting in lost income, ex Gas Board members who were transferred to Enemalta, and ex Rediffusion Group workers affected by assimilations and transfers in 1975 and 1978.
Some €90 million has been allocated across all of the Budgets under the Labour government since 2013.
19:16: Caruana says several other measures will continue.
Among them is the additional COLA payment which was unveiled in 2022 and which has seen around 85,000 families receive €100 million between them.
12,000 families meanwhile will continue to receive €500 per year for every child which remains in post-secondary education – over and above the stipend.
Tax bands will also be adjusted like in previous years so that the equivalent of the maximum pension, including bonuses, remains non-taxable for those who receive it.
19:14: There are also increases in supplementary allowances: maximum grants will rise to €27.30 per week for couples and €14.40 for individuals. The income thresholds will also rise to €20,000 for couples and €14,000 for single people.
There are several other increases to other benefits which impact particular niches, such as those on illnesses and for people with disabilities.
The Carer’s Grant will increase by €179.24 to €5,368.89 per year – half the national minimum wage. There will also be several increases to the Children’s Allowance which will be for those families which pay the least taxes or do not pay taxes at all.
The In-Work Benefit will increase by €200, while there will an increase of €500 to the bonus for births and adoptions which mean that families will get €1,000 upon having their first child, €1,500 upon having their second child, and €2,000 for each child that follows.
19:08: We move onto the social part of the Budget, where Caruana says there is no less than €120 million in social measures that he is set to announce.
The first is the much-awaited increase to pensions. 100,000 pensioners will see their pensions topped up by €10 per week (COLA-inclusive) – this also counts for invalidity and widowed pensions.
7,000 widowed pensioners will receive an additional €3.50 per week, while the 1,000 widowed parents who are still raising children will see their allowance increase by €10 per week and the allowance itself extended until their child is 23 years old.
19:05: Caruana reached a crescendo in these points – each announcement was backed by cheers and enthusiastic table-banging from his colleagues. “But there’s more!,” Caruana goaded as he went through each new tax bracket.
He says that with this tax cut, the government is effectively indirectly paying off a big part of – or all of – a home loan for young couples who want to start a family.
“This is what real aid means. This is what it means to be a worker’s party. This is the Labour government,” Caruana said. Others, he said, looking across the floor, can only imitate – he said that the PN had copied one of his proposals – as they can never implement.
19:02: The final new category will be for a couple with two or more children – something which Caruana again said applies where both parents work.
The tax-free income of these couples will now increase from €13,000 to €18,500 – meaning these families will not be taxed on the first €18,500 of their income. This will go up to €24,000 in 2027, and then €30,000 in 2028.
All of this will result in some 29,300 parents saving some €10,000 between them if they have an income of €42,000 each.
Taking into consideration that they will remain able to take advantage of this for 25 years, families will save a maximum of a whopping €257,000.
18:59: The third new category will be for a married couple with two or more children – something which Caruana again said applies where one parent doesn’t work or has a small income.
The tax-free income of these couples will now increase from €15,000 to €22,500 – meaning these families will not be taxed on the first €22,500 of their income. This will go up to €30,000 in 2027, and then €37,000 in 2028.
All of this will result in an average of €3,500 in saved taxes every year for around 5,000 families.
Taking into consideration that they will remain able to take advantage of this for 25 years, families will save some €150,000.
18:57: The second new category will be for parents with one child – something which Caruana said applies where both parents work and have one child.
The tax-free income of these couples will now increase from €13,000 to €14,500 – meaning these families will not be taxed on the first €14,500 of their income. This will go up to €16,000 in 2027, and then €18,000 in 2028.
All of this will result in an average of €1,400 in saved taxes every year for around 23,750 parents. Taking into consideration the maximum 23 years that a family with one child can take advantage of this will save a maximum of €113,000.
18:55: The first new category will be for married couples with one child – something which Caruana said applies mostly to couples where one of the members does not work or has a small income.
The tax-free income of these couples will now increase from €15,000 to €17,500 – meaning these families will not be taxed on the first €17,500 of their income. This will go up to €20,000 in 2027, and then €22,500 in 2028.
All of this will result in an average of €1,575 in saved taxes every year for around 2,400 families. Taking into consideration the maximum 23 years that a family with one child can take advantage of this will save a maximum of €65,000.
18:51: Families will be able to benefit from the new tax rates, which Caruana is about to explain, until their last child is 18 years of age – or 23 years of age if they choose to continue in the formal education system.
In today’s tax world, there are two computations: a married tax and a parents tax – but there will now be new categories.
18:49: Caruana says that no one measure will address all the challenges – but today will be the first signal: “A signal which is so strong that nobody was expecting it.”
The crux: the government will be reducing the tax rate for families with children – a tax cut which will be worth a total of €160 million and leave an average of €2,400 in parents’ pockets over the course of the next three years.
18:47: The next chapter is dedicated to what Caruana describes as the biggest measure in this year’s Budget.
He starts by referring to the tax cuts announced last year, which he says has left an extra €140 million in the people’s pockets.
Caruana notes that discussion on the country’s low birth rate has taken hold – and this Budget will address this topic.
But before that, some politicking: he quotes from a Budget speech by the Nationalist Government of 1995 (yes, 30 years ago) and says that back then “families with children were considered as a burden on the government.”
18:44: On the fiscal situation, Caruana says that this government’s Budgets have always been responsible.
He says that in 2013, the debt-to-GDP ratio stood at around 70%. This government, he said, brought that down by reducing the deficit – which in turn meant that the government had the financial ability to help people face the unprecedented challenges the world faced.
This was all without the debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 50% - by the end of this year it is expected to sit at 47.1%, with projections that it will continue to decline.
In the last Budget speech Caruana had projected that the deficit would be at 3.5% - but in actual fact it was lower: at 3.3%. His projection for the end of 2026 is that it will stand at 2.8%, therefore going below the 3% threshold established by the EU.
18:41: The Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) will be €4.66 per week, with inflation expected to stabilise to around 2.2% and the Maltese economy projected to grow by 4.1% in real terms in 2025, with the same rhythm in 2026.
18:40: Caruana starts by looking at the technical stuff: how the Maltese economy has fared in the last year.
Malta’s GDP in real terms has grown by 3.1% - far above averages in the EU (1.4%) and Eurozone (1.3%), he says. This is mainly down to domestic demand and increases in exportation of services.
Economic activity in relation to digital services increased by 7.4%, and the tourism industry has brought an increase of 12.9% in terms of visitors, he continues.
18:37: He continues by referring to a European continent which is facing difficulties, particularly in the economic sphere, where he says Malta remains an exception. In Europe, countries have chosen to allow the free market to run free, without protected the people. “Malta has chosen another road, and the numbers have proven us right.”
He now moves onto what he says is one of Malta’s biggest challenges: its low birth rate.
“Like we were not afraid to take the necessary decisions before big challenges in the last few years, today you will see a government which will again take courageous decisions against the biggest challenge of the future,” he says.
18:35: And we are underway.
“This year’s Budget is not just a declaration of who we are as a country, but of what we aspire to be,” Caruana begins. “This is a Budget that is not afraid of the future, but which builds it.” We get the sense that the future is going to be a pretty recurrent theme this evening.
Caruana says that he comes before the people with one of the best economies in Europe, the country’s finances well on its feet, and as someone bringing “another Socialist Budget” which isn’t afraid of “negativity” and which isn’t afraid of change.
18:32: Speaker Anglu Farrugia lets the PBS cameras into the Chambers – as is tradition, the Budget will be televised live. He reminds that the Finance Minister’s speech is exempt from time-limits. We are expecting it to be around 3 hours or so long, so make sure you grab a snack before he gets underway.
18:27: Health Minister Jo-Etienne Abela is currently addressing the floor, fielding Parliamentary Questions – we’re expecting the Budget speech to kick off in the next few minutes.
18:00: Parliament is underway, but there will be a set of Parliamentary Questions before the Budget speech kicks off. We’re expecting Clyde Caruana to start his speech in around 30 minutes.
17:30: Good evening and welcome to this live blog - we are around an hour away from Finance Minister Clyde Caruana's speech announcing the Budget for the upcoming year.