The Natiomalist Party said Tuesday it is concerned by the latest figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO), which show that the cost of living continues to rise month after month.
Statistics issued today by the NSO on prices in March show that last month the annual rate of inflation stood at 2.7%, meaning that it increased by 0.2 percentage points over February.
Once again, according to the NSO, the largest increase contributing to the annual inflation rate rising again from 2.5% in February to 2.7% in March 2026 was the increase in food and beverage prices, the statement said.
Price indices for all sectors registered increases, except for the clothing and footwear index. Other increases were recorded in the housing price index, services, personal care and health, recreation, as well as transport and communication. Among all of these, the highest prices were recorded in the accommodation sector.
This statement on the Retail Price Index is confirmation that the prices of the most essential goods for Maltese families remain among those rising the most, and that the Maltese people continue to face ever-higher prices.
It is also confirmation of how property prices in Malta continue to make it increasingly difficult for those trying to become homeowners, as they are having to face ever-rising housing prices month after month, including rental costs, the PN said.
The inflation rate for March not only increased over the previous month, but also rose significantly when compared with the same month of the previous year, March 2025, when it stood at 2.1%. This means that over a period of one year, there was an increase of 0.6 percentage points in the inflation rate in our country.
Beyond the figures, this is the harsh daily reality for thousands of Maltese and Gozitan families: ever-increasing expenses, wages that do not keep pace, and a Government that turns a deaf ear to people's concerns.
By contrast, the PN said that, even from Opposition, it is putting forward concrete proposals to address this crisis - measures which the social partners agree with, but which the Government continues to sideline, as it did when it voted in Parliament against the Opposition's Motion to address the cost of living crisis.
The solutions being proposed by the PN include:
The removal of tax on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), so that workers benefit from the full increase,
Tax exemption on the first €10,000 earned from overtime and part-time work, so that those who work more earn more,
Tax credits for employers so that they do not need to raise prices in order to offset COLA,
A national fund for industries that import or export, in order to reduce procurement and transport costs,
A new and sustainable economic model, based on value-added sectors that create quality jobs, higher wages, and greater productivity.
The PN said it will continue to speak on behalf of those who today are struggling to cope with living costs, and on behalf of businesses that need support. While the Labour Government remains indifferent, the PN is ready to lead the country in a new direction that provides serious solutions and delivers a better quality of life for the Maltese and Gozitan people.