Malta's economic success means less funds from the EU

Jonathan Camilleri

Apr 10th 2012, 21:36

Does this mean that the Government is now going to fund the increase in salaries and social issues?

Oh my god, we're in trouble now!

Christian Sciberras

Nov 2nd 2011, 21:10

Since I lost the chance to fully reply to a good question below, by a certain C Scerri, I'd like to repeat it here.

Mr/s C Scerri asked me whether I am a consultant or work with the EU funds department, to which I'd like to answer (to his pleasure, probably), that no, I am not. This, however, does not make me blind to what is going on around me. Just because someone somehow earned a job somewhere, does not disqualify me from doing a better one.

Next up, the actual discussion. I said the government went on a spending spree of EU funds. Mr/s C Sceri thought I meant literally. Sorry, that was not the case.
What I really meant was that the different projects that have been going on, are not connected to each other.

As I said, just because repairing a road falls under EU funds criteria as well as land reform one doesn't mean it was a good decision.

Instead, what matters at the end of the day is the result from these projects.

Here's the juice; the result IS DIRECTLY related to how it plays within its environment.
For instance, it would have been better if a 2km of road was repaired instead of 5km, while at the same time, the location around that road was enhanced to the point of perfection.

E Gatt

Oct 18th 2011, 13:39

At the time when Malta joined the EU, our GDP was less than 75% of the EU average. This meant that Malta was eligible, and received, Objective One funds. Regions that had a higher GDP than 75% of the EU average did not receive Objective One funds. The requirements have been revised by the EU, but the principle remains the same. The relatively poorer regions will be eligible for Objective One funds in the next EU budget, while the relatively richer regions will not be eligible for Objective One funds in the next EU budget.

Thanks to our collective hard work, unpopular but sound government measures, and to a lesser degree the membership of poorer countries to the EU after 2004, we are no longer in the poor league.

Objective One funds will be available in the future, so if we all work hard to elect a Labour government in 18 months’ time, there is a very good possibility that Malta will be eligible for Objective One funds once again.

Richard Galea

Oct 18th 2011, 12:05

Sant was right........We should have remained as partners with EU....

Mario Camilleri

Oct 18th 2011, 10:22

@Francis Coquelin,

In your reply to Mr Leon Zawadzki, you said so much in favour of the EU but then purposely, you forgot to mention one thing, you left out the comparison of salaries between Malta's and that of most of the EU states.
And as regards your comment and quote:- "Ara trid tkun vera ghajnejk maghluqa biex ma tarax li minn mindu pajjizna dahal fl-EU sirna nies". If so why did the Ministers and PM raised their salaries by €500/weekly supposedly €600, compared to the peoples' €1.16c. B'hekk sirna nies? Or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who forms part of the public coffers squandering clan.
Please don't insult us. At least try to comment intelligently.

S. Zammit

Oct 18th 2011, 09:36

I am baffled with most of the ignorant comments. When things go wrong we blame the government. When things are going in the right direction we manage to turn it into a negative thing. How stupid and ignorant can WE be. This little speck of dust in the mediterranean has managed to overcome huge obstacles thanks to the Maltese worker. We are doing well so the EU does not need to give us such monetary assistance. Come on, don't be foolish.

dennis azzopardi

Oct 18th 2011, 09:25

Finally we are rich... i have been waiting for this news since joining the EU...... and please dont wake me up just yet!!

D Hamlet

Oct 18th 2011, 08:53

So we are getting less funds - we are giving millions to Greece - and this is good news !! I will not vote for you unless you fill my pocket - full stop.

j brincat

Oct 18th 2011, 08:45

EU trying to justify itself for sending less funds over here!

(jb)

Mario Grima

Oct 18th 2011, 08:21

@Francis Coquelin

Maybe if you remove your blue blinkers you can figure out that what you are saying is just plain crap!!!

Mario Grima

Oct 18th 2011, 08:13

First we cook the figures given to the EU and then we are struck with this thunderbolt. I take this as an insult to our inteligence, because in reality the present government, because of his inability to govern, has thrown the majority of the Maltese beyond the poverty lines. It is only a few 'hbieb tal-hbieb' who can say the contrary!!

W Cassar

Oct 18th 2011, 08:08

Malta has weathered the storm pretty well, then again we must not forget that Malta does not have economies of scale and it is able to be more flexible and react more quickly than other countries due to it flea size, Malta is just a large town but we always compare ourselves with actual countries. Id like to know how we are doing against countries of similar size, forget the bigger states its comparing a bulldozer with a pram!

Alex Falzon

Oct 18th 2011, 07:51

Just watch & learn how the EU system works... after this test you may judge

Anthony Mifsud Bonnici Giordani

Oct 18th 2011, 06:08

Kemm ftahru u ghamew lin-nies li l-Europa se tghatina 100 miljun (LIRA) fis-sena (KULL SENA) Lil hadd ma qalu li dan il-gelgul ta flus se jieqaf illejla qabel ghada. GIDDIBINNNNN

Mario Camilleri

Oct 18th 2011, 00:05

Kemm hu bravu l-Prim. Kemm għandna biex niftaħru. U kemm qed intuhom lill-EU għax għandna ekonomija tajba!!
U ta' dan kollu ser nitilfu dak li suppost huwa tagħna. Ekonomisti brillanti għandna. Mela Avukat jista qatt ikun ekonomista tajjeb? Jew Akkawntant novizz jista jkun ekonomista tajjeb?
Mela issa Tonio jrid iroxx mhux jissikka. "Iġġudikawna fuq dak li nagħmlu" kien qalilna l-Prim

Alan Grech

Oct 17th 2011, 23:31

if you say so :)))

Mr clint catania

Oct 17th 2011, 22:56

finally we are all rich.at least its not a dream:)

Karl Consiglio

Oct 17th 2011, 22:48

Makes sense, funds are for who needs them most. When i see the over amount of cars in Malta I can't help thinking that maybe we are too rich.

Mr Stephen Borg

Oct 17th 2011, 22:48

To get a good feeling of the current economic and financial situation one has to take a closer look at the middle and lower class and see how standard of living improved for these people in the last few years. We have to admit that Maltese people are big moaners but it is good to understand that every basic necessity or need in our country doubled if not tripled it's value in the last few years. Only the wages of us commoners remained sub standard when compared to those of other European countries. In other European countries where austerity measures where implemented people lost purchase power due to these austerity measures, here in Malta the people lost purchase power due to the uncontrolled and high inflation when compared to that of other European countries. Here in Malta austerity measures are neatly hidden in the price of fuels, utility tariffs and so on.

Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO

Oct 17th 2011, 22:00

I suspect the true intention of the EU's Regional Policy Commissioner visit was to prepare us and soften the impending blow in the next EU budget 2014-2020 whereby less funds will be coming Malta's way because we now according to the EU commissioner have achieved economic success through EU membership . Coupled with the financial guarantee we just approved to the EU the sweetener we obtained when we joined the EU will soon turn to a bitter pill if we accept the Commisioner's thesis that we no longer require the same level of development funding. I trust government and the opposition will resist in all possible ways such an attempt to starve us of development funds and not accept in a supine way this worrying statement as a "fait accompli".

Simon Cassar

Oct 17th 2011, 21:35

hahahahahahahaha just readin the first paragraph is enough!!!! hahahahhahahahahaha

Christian Sciberras

Oct 17th 2011, 20:48

Problem is, Malta EU funds spending spree went unmanaged.
A lot of different unrelated projects without any aim.

Jeffrey Mallia

Oct 17th 2011, 20:15

Spiccaw il " MITT MILJUN LIRA FIS SENA ".................Ifrah ja Malti bahnan.

mark borg

Oct 17th 2011, 20:10

@ Francis Coquelin : Siehbi jhekk int sirt nies kemm ilna li dhalna fl -Eu(jigifieri 6 snin ilu) ahna ilna nies min mindu tela Mintoff fil -1971 u qata il faqar . Barra min hekk meta inhares madwari nara ftit li sejrin min fuq u hafna u hafna li marru ghal ghar,biex ma insemmix li Malta naqra naqra qed tigi ikontrollata mil immigranti illegali !

T Gauci

Oct 17th 2011, 20:04

Maltas not getting more funds means the EU have no money left to share.

mark borg

Oct 17th 2011, 20:02

And who needs the EU funds anyway ? we are doing exceptionally well ,certain people have just recieved over 500 EURO weekly pay rise and we are in a state oferring all our social services, including our hospitals to any illegal immigrants from all Affrica that decides to relocate here.

R ferriggi

Oct 17th 2011, 19:49

Malta's economic success means less funds from the EU

FANTASTIC - DO YOUR WORK DILIGENTLY AND YOU GET YOUR ASSISTANCE TAKEN AWAY.

NICE ONE!!!!!

THIS IS AGAINST WHAT GERMANY IS CURRENTLY SEEKING IN THE MONETARY SPHERE!!

TO BE DILIGENT TO REMAIN PART OF THE EU!!!

I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT FIGHTS THIS IN THE PROPER WAYS AND CHANNELS!!!

joseph saliba

Oct 17th 2011, 19:39

Coming next election we must change the ministers from deliverers to moaners.

Martin Bonello

Oct 17th 2011, 19:36

Why did we join the EU in the first place? For hand outs? Or to improve our overall standard of living? It s like tax, the more you earn, the more you pay.

We joined the EU for our economy to converge and match those of the richer countries who have been members for years. We seem to have managed to a certain extent already. Good for us. Well done, I say, not to this or that party, but to all of us who have worked at it. As for those who saw the EU as a national DOLE, forget it.

Joseph M. Saliba

Oct 17th 2011, 19:15

Issa qed nemmen x'kien jghid Mintoff u Alfred Sant. Tiftakru l-Ewropa ta' Kajjin u ta' Abel. U Alfred Sant Kien jghid li lil Ewropa Malta tati aktar mill tiehu. Mela il-Grecja,l-Irlanda Spanja il Portugal u l-Italja falluti u talbu l-ghajnuna taghna u aha ghax bil-ghaqal ma niehdu xejn. U Halluna Zin.


Joseph M. Saliba

C Cassar

Oct 17th 2011, 19:12

Of course Malta should receive less funding as it's economy becomes more successful. It has been EU funds that have made Malta's economy so successful since accession. As some point in the not too distant future, Malta will pay money each year into the EU pot of funds to invest in the same way other have already been doing for years.

The whole iidea is to bring 'poorer countries up to the economic levels of the richer countries. That opens up significant new business/trading opportunities for the ric countries. Look at Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and Poland for example. They have significantly strengthened their economies and now provide many business opportunities for the traditionally 'richer' countries.

There are such huge opportiunities for the Maltese within the rest of the EU it's staggering. The only ones to lose out are those who are insistant on being inward looking solely in Malta.

Mr Leon Zawadzki

Oct 17th 2011, 19:06

The EU must be taking into consideration the increase of over 20% in Arriva's passenger numbers and the estimated 29% Black economy. Never mind the worst roads in Europe, the low wages of the middle to lower class worker and the highest priced cars on the market or the ever increasing cost of basic foods, electricity and water. Oh and yes gas.

Carmel Cilia

Oct 17th 2011, 18:53

Mela la malta sejra tajjeb ghandu jzomm il-wedgha li ghamel qabel l-elezzjoni u jnaqqas l-income tax. Mela il-medicini b'xejn ghandna nircivuwhom dejjem u mhux darbtejn f'sena. Insomma jidher li l-ewropa taf ukoll li malta riesqa l-elezzjoni u thossa aktar komda bil P.N. fil Gvern: min jaf ghalhiex.

Charles Sammut

Oct 17th 2011, 18:47

Biex taqbad il-hut trid tghalef. U hekk taghmel l-UE, ghalfet sa kemm qabditna, issa ghal got-tagen. Pajjiz imzazzen.

Jo Meli

Oct 17th 2011, 18:46

Well the LESS than 2 Euros per week increase for the Maltese Gahan and the 500+ Euros for the Kabal must have made the difference !

Gahan Malti JFRAH

Mr Michael Debono

Oct 17th 2011, 18:42

Does the situation mean that Malta was not performing well hence it received high E.U. subsidies

Kevin McBill

Oct 17th 2011, 18:37

@ All
We should be grateful that the government is performing miracles. Malta is exporting more fuel than it imports. Isn't this a miracle?
Moody's downgrades Malta's rating while we are performing better!
I'm feeling rather dizzy.

Paul Cassar

Oct 17th 2011, 18:26

AGAIN...............THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT GOVT STATISTICS SAY.....AND WHAT PEOPLE FEEL.

........................... IF THERE ARE PROFITS.............WHERE ARE THEY GOING??...............TO THE SELECTED

FEW?????????/

Francis Farrugia

Oct 17th 2011, 18:21

Mela issa la kollox sejjer tajjeb ahna l-popolin haqna zieda konsiderevoli fil-budget li gej, ghaliex jekk kollox sejjer tajjeb dan u dovut mhux biss ghall gvern imma ghall haddiema u l-poplu kollu.

David Griscti

Oct 17th 2011, 18:20

Let us push aside petty party politics and an ingrained habit of thinking and acting parochially about virtually everything. The reality on the ground is that despite the economic and financial mess most of those around us find themselves in, Malta (all of us....red, blue, green, purple...) has been able to chart a steady course that prevented a credit crunch (which would have been catastrophic for our economy), a massive increase in unemployment, an exodus of manufacturing concerns and, in general, a social meltdown. At the same time the country is registering increasing FDI, stability in the toursim sector (and in some sectors therein significant growth), significant growth in the financial services sector that is creating more and more quality employment opportunities, employment retention and moderate expansion across the board, significant investment in countless important infrastructural projects that can only improve our standard of living and our quality of life, etc.

Yes, disposable income may not be what everyone desires (it rarely is, even in really good times, because we are humans)....yes, utilities have become expensive (compared to what we were used to, even if that is not really a true measure....so let us be honest about it)....yes some people in public office should really know better.....yes Arriva was not the success we all hoped for and is still far from perfect.....yes certain delicate issues could have and should have been handled better and with more common sense, rather than emotionally...etc. But for once let us congratulate ourselves for what we have achieved, despite all the odds and despite the economic and financial mess around us. We all achieved it together. Let us be proud of what we have achieved, let us strive harder to achieve whatever it is we feel we can achieve. We are all in this together.

Being angry, resentful, jealous, fatalstic and petty will not get us anywhere....it will only ruin whatever we have all managed to achieve together. It is time to change our Mindset.....not because there is an agenda, or because it favours this one or that one.....because it is what will make us mature as a people and as a nation. It will take our beloved Malta to another level. It will allow us to see things for what they really are.

M. Bezzina

Oct 17th 2011, 18:09

U tant sejrin tajbin li l pagi taghna sparaw il fuq!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul Micallef

Oct 17th 2011, 17:45

Cant understand the E.U, if we are doing good we get penalized, and those who do bad get all the help???
Well, then Mr Gonzi if we are doing so fine, where are the results??

Martin Farrugia

Oct 17th 2011, 17:30

Credit should be given where credit is due. This time round, it is us, the Maltese people, who collectively deserve a good round of applause. At a time when other countries are on their knees asking to be bailed out or raising their debt ceilings, Malta has proven itself to be one dependable economic partner.

Well done to all those Maltese entrepreneurs who had the capacity to put EU funding aid to good use.

Martin Farrugia - EU Grants and Subsidies Consultant

Joseph E Briffa

Oct 17th 2011, 17:18

A recognition by EU officials of the great strides forward made by Malta since joining the EU should put paid to claims by those moaners who live in a bubble and fail, or rather refuse, to see with their own eyes the improvements made by Malta in the economic and social fields over the past few years. Not that one needed to be told of these successes by EU officials, but as no one is a prophet in his own country, it's good to hear EU officials acknowledging the fact that Malta is no longer a poor country rather than be told by members of our own administration. Of course, the opposition like any opposition in a democratic state will continue to refuse to acknowledge the undeniable facts and will persist in telling us that if elected they will change the current pathetic state of Malta into a paradise on earth without however telling us how they will carry out the change; keeping this magic formula under wraps for fear it will be copied by other states in the EU and help them to climb the league ladder ahead of us. But the opposition's task is not an easy one; the substantial increase in the level of the quality of life of the Maltese is indeed tangible, and the majority are more than convinced of this. Of course it doesn't mean that all our problems have vanished, or that everybody has benefited to the same extent, but given the current state of the global economic and financial climate, we are indeed lucky and can still afford to complain about the small inconveniences that have always and will always face people on this planet.

victor caruana

Oct 17th 2011, 17:13

Bdejna l-irtirata............

Anthony Farrugia

Oct 17th 2011, 17:04

I am waiting for the doomsayers led by James Tyrrel and Peter Murray to comment with copious shedding of tears and gnashing of teeth on the dastardly plots being hatched by those Eurocrats in Brussels.

Victor Laiviera

Oct 17th 2011, 16:46

"Economic statistics show that Malta no longer qualifies for Objective One status, which is the highest level of EU funding a country can achieve."

But the question is - is this due to our "success" of because poorer countries have joined the EU? Has our situation improved in REAL terms or in RELATIVE terms, when compared to new entrants?

THAT is the real question.

Jason Coleiro

Oct 17th 2011, 16:36

economic success??? oh for the ministers portfolio you mean don`t you ????

W Cassar

Oct 17th 2011, 16:31

"The objective of the policy is to help poor regions and Malta is no longer a poor region,”

....But we still have very poor roads especially in residential areas!