Pre-Budget meeting with the GWU: Prime Minister Robert Abela stresses that the 2023 Budget will not only be defensive but also ambitious to increase investment
In a pre-Budget meeting with the General Workers’ Union in the Berga of Castile, Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed that the Budget that will be presented for next year will not only be defensive but an ambitious one that will also increase investment and bring more work.
For the largest part of the meeting, the Prime Minister and the ministers present listened to the thoughts of the leadership and representatives of the GWU, in a consultation process that the Government is doing.
In the context of the lowest unemployment rate in history, the General Secretary of the GWU Josef Bugeja explained how in our country there is still a thirst for more jobs from employers and stressed the need to continue to strengthen the skills of -workers in Malta.
Mr. Bugeja mentioned the importance of social dialogue and expressed his satisfaction that the Government will continue to support aid in the energy and cereals sector.
The General Workers’ Union also insisted on the fact that the current mechanism for establishing the cost of living adjustment (COLA) should continue to be followed, with the union remaining open to future discussions .
The Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on the greatest help that should continue to be given to those who need it the most, including families with the lowest income and pensioners.
The Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated that the Government is determined to continue helping and weighing, particularly in the energy sector, as in these two years, the Government will be helping with more than billion euros to keep energy prices stable and the burdens are not thrown on workers and families.
He said that the coming Budget is a particular one, even more so than the last two that were presented during a pandemic.
The Prime Minister also stressed that the 2023 Budget will be the first of five that will build on each other to implement the work plan and fulfill all the promises.
The Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, Ministers Clyde Caruana, Julia Farrugia Portelli and Clayton Bartolo, Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul and Government Deputy Glenn Bedingfield were also present at this meeting.
Photo: OPM
