Both employers and unions emerged disappointed from a meeting during which they were given a preview of the Budget by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.
They remained tight lipped on details saying they were hoping that Mr Fenech would review their reactions to what was proposed, adding that he had told them he had taken note of their comments.
At the end of a two-hour long meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, the social partners would not be drawn into speaking about the measures they had heard about, insisting that such meetings were confidential.
It was the last MCESD meeting before the Budget on Monday.
Mr Fenech said the final decisions on the contents of the Budget speech would be taken between today and tomorrow morning.
He said he had given the constituted bodies a presentation on what the government was planning for the Budget but he too refused to give any indications, not even whether people should expect any direct or indirect taxes.
While most social partners said they were willing to wait for the Budget before making any comments on the measures they heard about yesterday, those who spoke expressed disappointment.
The General Workers’ Union’s general secretary, Tony Zarb said he was disappointed that the minister had only taken up a few of his union’s proposals.
“From what I heard and saw today, the minister has hardly considered the serious proposals made by the GWU and it was clear that this would be another Budget that does not alleviate the burden the people were shouldering,” said a gloomy Mr Zarb as he left the meeting place.
The director general of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, Vince Farrugia, said there were measures which his organisation did not agree with but preferred not to comment about them before they were announced in the Budget.
He said the Budget had to promote economic growth for otherwise there would be no jobs and neither spending power. “If it’s a Budget of growth we will say well done, if not we will tell the minister he wasted his time and ours,” he said.
Stefano Mallia, from the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, said he was pleased that the government had focused on stability over growth but pointed out that there were a couple of proposed measures the chamber disagreed with. Nonetheless, he said he hoped these would change until Monday.
The general secretary of the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, Josef Vella said he was still pushing the government to take on board the union’s proposal for an active labour policy that could be implemented over a number of years and generate jobs.
He said the UĦM believed such a policy would be ideal in the prevailing economic scenario, adding that it seemed the government had included measures to increase female participation.
Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association president George Micallef believes the government should continue investing in tourism and ensure that the seat capacity continues to grow.
He said the tourism industry could not afford to shoulder more burdens if it were to remain competitive.
Online link to the Budget
An audio recording of the Budget speech and links to the website of the Finance Ministry will be accessible from the Department of Information website on Monday.
The recording will be uploaded after Finance Minister Tonio Fenech concludes his Budget speech in Parliament.
The link will provide the full text of the speech, the financial estimates and the economic survey.
Audio and video recordings of the press conference given by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mr Fenech after the speech will be uploaded on the DOI website (www.doi.gov.mt) on Tuesday.
Printed copies of the Budget speech (€2.50), the financial estimates (€5) and the economic survey (€5) will be available from the DOI sales office, 3, Castille Place, Valletta from Tuesday.