Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Brussels ‘encouraged’ by Malta’s deficit aims
European Commissioner Olli Rehn.
Malta’s commitment to cut its deficit to 2.8 per cent of GDP by the end of this year and by a further 2.3 per cent in 2012 were yesterday described as “encouraging” by the European Commission.
The announcements made in the last Budget were still being analysed but “Malta is taking the necessary measures to contain public expenditure and consolidate its public finances,” the Commission’s spokesman for the Economy and Monetary Affairs, Amadeu Altafay, said.
If this data is confirmed next year by Eurostat, Malta will be on its way of closing the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) started against the island in 2009, according to the Commission.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said he had received the same “positive” feedback.
Speaking to The Times following a bilateral meeting in Brussels with Commissioner Olli Rehn – who is responsible for keeping an eye on national budgets – Mr Fenech said the Commission now better understood the government’s latest projections. Mr Rehn, he said, confirmed that Malta was on the way to recovery.
Only a few days before the budget, Mr Rehn had sent a warning letter to Malta and another four EU member states asking them to take measures to correct their deficits by mid-December if they wanted to avoid sanctions.
According to the Commission’s autumn economic forecasts, Malta will not reach its target of reducing its deficit to below three per cent of GDP by the end of 2011.
“We had immediately replied to the Commission’s letter and it seems it is now looking at our situation from a different and much more positive angle,” Minister Fenech said.
Malta is hardly alone in being under an EDP. Nearly all 27 member states, with the exception of Sweden and Estonia, have received similar warnings from Brussels. Malta will be one of the few countries to cut its deficit this year if the data announced by the government are confirmed.
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Gianninu Saliba
Dec 1st 2011, 15:16
Goodness gracious me, the Socialist supporters are really getting really hot under the collar. They just don't like what Commissioner Olli Rehn said about the way the government is handling the debt 'crisis'. Shame, and only two weeks ago, they were quoting him left, right and centre. They were so happy that Mr. Rehn had sent Malta a warning letter. But like their idol, Joseph, the mud came back into their face. Joseph, please realize that you are Maltese, be proud of it and thank God that we have a Nationalist Government. Joseph, go and tell the world the truth. Tell one and all that once again you were mistaken, tell the world that Malta is reducing is debt, unlike most other countries. Be proud and boast about your country. We, Nationalist have always been proud of this land of ours, we have always had faith in the people that make us such a great nation. Never, I repeat never, did we want integration with Britain, Libya or any other country. Yes, we are proud of our Latin culture, but we never ever wanted to be Italian, Spanish, Portugese or French for that matter. We love Malta too much and that is why we fought to obtain its independence... which we got in 1964. We have always believed that we are Europeans...and we made sure that Malta joined the Eu and not become a Switzerland in the Mediterranean. We have always believed in democracy and that is why we fought tooth and nail, Duminku and Karmenu... and we also won the day for Malta in 1987. Yes, we love Malta and Malta is proud of its true children.
R. Abela
Dec 1st 2011, 19:16
' 'Malta will be one of the few countries to cut its deficit this year if the data announced by the government are confirmed'
@G. Saliba read the last sentence again, many people before an election recieved a letter signed by our PMs that hunting/trapping, bus drivers dockyards workers, Maltacom workers etc... that their job/hobby under PN gov is 100% sure. Aftrewards....???
Gianninu Saliba
Dec 1st 2011, 21:58
What's your problem, Mr. Abela? The dockyard workers, Maltacom workers are employed, as per Dr. Gonzi's promise, and we are no longer carrying those companies losses. With regards to the bus drivers, well they have been paid nicely, they were offered a job... good riddance to bad rubbish. What a difference has Arriva brought! You have also mentioned the hunters and as far as I know they still have the opportunity to hunt both in Spring and in Autumn. If you really want to mention Dr. Gonzi's most important electoral promise, well, then mention: Par idejn sodi. The world is crumbling, Europe is in tatters and Malta is still marching on. New companies setting shop in Malta, the debt has dropped below 3%, unemployment at its lowest, employment at its highest and no austerity measures... in short vera par idejn sodi.
Lawrence Fenech
Dec 1st 2011, 13:58
If we had the salaries that you enjoy have in Brussels I would most "encouraged" too. The deficit is coming out of our maltese pockets.
R. Abela
Dec 1st 2011, 12:16
Nothing new. After EU dictactors Sarkozy/ Merkel fired out 2 ligitimate Prim Ministers of Greece and Italy elected by their own countries electorate, and imposed 2 new PMs without a single vote, it shows clearly that this rubish of democracy EU, feels comfortable with PN goverment in power, and EU Heads are doing their upmost to again help PN to win next general election. In 2003, Mr Verheugen incharge of EU enlargement disclosed this to MLP deputy leader George Vella. The finacial situation of 5 billion euros deficit, for a workforce of only 110,000 workers in the private sector. and an anchor of 40,000 in the public sector, it is a nightmare to believe such statments. More beautiful stories/statments and statictics are going to be heared until the next general election, afterwards.......??????
Mr Stephen Borg
Dec 1st 2011, 14:53
You are almost completely right but let us not forget that in the Public sector there are Teachers, Nurses and Doctors which are very important and most of them show a lot of dedication towards their work.
JOSEPH ZAMMIT
Dec 1st 2011, 10:36
Its a wait and see scenario.
It looks very encouraging...to whom, may I ask? Is the European Commission's concern the people?
medidate gente, medidate...
Mark. Galea
Dec 1st 2011, 09:52
Qed taraw ... Joseph Muscat anke mill-oppozizzjoni irnexxielu jirranga l-finanzi tal-pajjiz ... ahseb u ara jekk jitla fil-gvern ... dawl u ilma b'irhis, petrol u diesel b'rihis, pagi ghola ... nistennew bil-herqa l-migja tas-salvatur ...
Alan Abela
Dec 1st 2011, 10:20
haha...int bis serjeta jew?
Paul Vella
Dec 1st 2011, 10:33
haha.. sur Galea, tista' tghidli fejn rajt li dak li int qed issejjahlu s-salvatur, irnexxielu jirranga l-finanzi tal-pajjiz mill-oppozizzjoni? Hemm xi parti mill-artiklu li dehret lilek biss jaqaw?
Moreover, jekk is-salvatur tieghek weghdek li l-pagi se jkunu ghola u kontijiet se jorhsu, spjegalek liem taxxa se jdahhallek jew jinfurzalek? Filkaz illuminana naqra ghax kull min ikun fl-oppozizzjoni dejjem hekk niftakru jghid !!
Alfred Vassallo
Dec 1st 2011, 10:38
Ghandek ragun titkellem hekk ghax f'zmien il Salvaturi tieghjek fi 22 sena shah hlief Djun Kbar - Drogi- pajjiz mifquh bihom (btw - tiftakru il kas ta Queroz) u Kurruzzjonijiet KBAR min North sa South ma gabux. Dawk huma il Salvaturi tieghjek.
Joseph M. Saliba
Dec 1st 2011, 10:41
Id-deficit mhux ahna qed naghmlu tajjeb ghalih. GonziPN iberbaq u ahna nhallsu t-taxxi. Nahseb li int qed tpapija tajjeb biex qed tirraguna hekk.
M. Bezzina
Dec 1st 2011, 10:45
Staqsi lil min jahdem bil minimum wage!!U jghidlek fejnu is salvatur!!Anka min ghandu paga mhux hazinukoll jaddi bil biex!!!Mhux qed nghid il hajja tghola tort ta Gonzi pero jider li hemm certu taxxa esagerata fuq il fuel u anke il fil konsum tad dawl u l-ilma!!!Jekk tas Sargas hija irhas ghax ma jamilx xi haga dwara??Hemmek nara Gvern li lest jahdem ghal familja meta taf li kontijiet tad dawl u ilma huma mghola smewwiet u il gvern qed jipprova jerga lura biex irahhasshom la hemm metodu min fejn!! Kiku memx nghid pacenzja!!
Matthias Camilleri
Dec 1st 2011, 11:31
Dak nahseb eurostat qaraha joseph muscat. Affarijiet li jigru :p
Lawrence Fenech
Dec 1st 2011, 14:00
@Mark.
L-ewwel salvatur kien Mintoff.
Antoine Vella
Dec 1st 2011, 14:17
@Alan Abela and others
Mark Galea was being sarcastic.
Mr Stephen Borg
Dec 1st 2011, 14:58
@Paul Vella
It is not those in opposition that propose wishful things if re-elected, let us not forget the tax band revision proposed by GonziPN which should have effected all tax payers because not every tax payer is a parent and under this administration if you are not a parent you are entitled for nothing. Joseph Muscat is not a savior far from it but who is leading us to believe that Lawrence Gonzi is some king of God send. please rephrase.
joseph mifsud
Dec 1st 2011, 09:34
mhux min fuq il haddiem.
Peter Murray
Dec 1st 2011, 09:34
So our headmaster has spoken and we -his subservient pupils -should be eternally grateful and fulfilled by his words of "encouragement" and so should the GREEK,PORTUGUESE,ITALIAN and SPANISH naughty boys who also received similar words of encouragement from our masters.If Malta meets these deficit aims- and I sincerely hope it does -it will be the only country in Europe(and possibly the world) who will do so. as all the projections ,predictions whatever for economic growth,job forecast,borrowing costs and amounts etc., have all been wildly and negatively inaccurate.
John Schembri
Dec 1st 2011, 10:35
call the EU what you like . But this is one reason why people like me voted for the EU. I like it when the EU funds come to Malta and I like the EU breathing down the neck of our ministers.
Dr Gonzi experienced both types of governments ,one the ‘as-you-please’ and the other is the EU regulated type .
Labour does not have that experience , it was evident when Joseph Muscat opened his mouth about Enemalta’s finances.
Peter Murray
Dec 1st 2011, 11:32
Dear Mr SCHEMBRI,
I am not calling the EU anything -simply stating the factual obvious .If you choose to be ruled by Brussels and your financial soverignity be undermined that's your prerogative but don't bring politics into such decisions as political experience does not equate to success and ,irrespective of political party ,who in Malta has such in Europe ,in any event .Also sir ,EU funds coming to Malta are simply tax-payers money (including Maltese)and whatever the EU gives you with one hand they will eventually want double to take from us with the other hand.Wake up and smell the coffee and don't be colour-blind.
Lawrence Fenech
Dec 1st 2011, 14:04
@Schembri.
Sakemm kienet "Common market" kien kollox sew. Malli saret EU u Euro zone dawn irrovinaw lill-Europa kollha. Kollha jasru lil-poplu u huma igawdu hemm fuq.
S. Curmi
Dec 1st 2011, 09:30
If arrogance had to be eliminated, ghad hem bahar jaqsam bejn iz zewg partiti! Hasra!
Keep it up!
George Azzopardi
Dec 1st 2011, 11:27
Ghalfejn qed taghmel din l-alegazjoni meta l-PL illu ma jkun fil-gvern ghal dan iz-zmien kollhu. Tghidliex ghax mhux qe jiproponi xejn tajjeb ta, ghax anqas din ma treggi. Trid tkun fil gvern biex taghmel certu affariliet. ma hemm xejn li jista kikompara sew kif nghidu bl-Igliz 'like with like'.