The Gozo Business Chamber has welcomed the Budget, pleased with its focus on sectors such as the family, elderly, disabled, unemployed and women wanting to go back to work.

Gozo would benefit from measures and initiatives on a national level that would strengthen the competitiveness of Gozitan small and medium enterprises, it said.

The chamber was also pleased that the government had accepted a number of its proposals on the forward withholding tax on income from rent of residential or commercial sites, sale of property and mixed use of buildings.

Meanwhile, the chamber’s committee responsible for the promotion of a permanent link between Gozo and Malta said it was satisfied that the concept of a tunnel or “some kind of other permanent link” was prominently mentioned in the Budget speech.

The Gozo Tourism Association said the funding increase of €1 million to the Malta Tourism Authority, bringing its total to €36 million, together with the €20 million for Air Malta restructuring, were positive measures.