The implementation rate of Budget measures in 2021 is 79%, marking a 7% increase on the average achieved in the last eight years (72%). This resulted from a publication issued by the Public Service for the eighth consecutive year, in which details on the implementation of each budget measure were given for 2021.
During a press conference addressed by Minister for Finance and Employment Clyde Caruana and Principal Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar, it was stated how this monitoring exercise shows that a total of 364 measures have been carried out this year. This includes measures from the 2021 Budget, as well as 159 other measures which were works in progress in their year and were completely carried out in 2021.
Minister Caruana explained how the published implementation document for 2021 accounts for the work done in the last year, as well as challenges the pandemic brought with it, and so will the Budget for 2022, which will be announced next week. Contrary to neighbouring countries, Malta has come out of the worst of the pandemic with lower unemployment, lower number of inactive persons and more people in the workforce. Minister Caruana stated that what makes every Budget measure sustainable is a robust workforce, which ultimately is the biggest contributor to the country’s fiscal position.
Head of the Public Service Mario Cutajar explained how the monitoring and implementation exercise introduced by the Public Service eight years ago ensures that what was promised during the Budget speech is eventually implemented. As a result, a total of 1,970 measures have been carried out in the last eight years. The Principal Permanent Secretary concluded that, as has been done since 2019, budgetary measures have been aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development targets – in this respect, Malta currently occupies 33 out of 165 countries.
The publication ‘It-Twettiq tal-Baġit 2021’, issued by the Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary, is accessible at: https://publicservice.gov.mt/en/Documents/Twettiq_tal-Bagit_2021.pdf.
