Investing in the country's infrastructure to sustain economic growth

This year's budget allocates a capital investment spending of about €400 million, some €180 million of which will be coming from EU funds.

A total of €43.7 million will be spent next year on arterial roads and an additional €14 million will be spent on the maintenance and reconstruction of a number of roads in various towns and villages.

The government and local councils will be issuing a number of calls for tenders for the construction of roads in villages and towns through public private partnerships. The contractor undertaking the work would be obliged to construct and maintain these roads for a number of years.

The restoration of fortifications is to be allocated €36 million over a six-year period. Major projects allotted funding include the new Parliament, the new entrance to Valletta, a new theatre in the Royal Opera House, pavements in the pedestrian zones in Valletta and the development of a national park at the Upper Barrakka by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.

Eighty million euros will be spent on the embellishment of attractive zones in St Paul's bay, Sliema, Qawra and Pembroke.

Funds have also been allocated for the restoration of St Angelo and St Elmo as well as Castille, The President's Palace and the Collacchio in Vittoriosa.

As part of the reform of the public transport system an investment of €9 million will be made in new bus termini in Valletta, Victoria and Bugibba. Blata l-Bajda's Park and Ride will be extended and two new others will be developed, one in Marsa and the other in Pembroke. The old buses are to be removed but subsidies for public transport will remain in place.