Business owners are concerned with what is most important for Malta in the coming year and it was “absolutely ridiculous” for anyone to rock the national boat this year, Malta Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises director-general Vince Farrugia told The Times Business.

Asked how speculation on an early election affected the economy, Mr Farrugia said Malta had a good story to tell abroad – the country remained resilient, and the economy continued to grow because job creation and retention were priorities.

“It is absolutely ridiculous for anybody, whatever the reason, to rock the national boat this year, especially if those actions come from someone elected precisely to support stability and economic growth,” Mr Farrugia said. “At this moment, what this country needs most is political unity and stability, not political bickering and the instability caused by electioneering.”

Mr Farrugia stressed news from Malta’s trade partners like the UK, Germany, Italy, and France, on which tourism and the services industries also depended, was not positive.

Malta’s government, with the support of the social partners and thanks to initiatives to promote investment and business, was doing its best to safeguard investments and jobs.

The livelihood of thousands of Maltese families had to be a topmost priority for the authorities as people expected their elected representatives to carry on with the job, especially in difficult times.