Budget Days under Nationalist Administrations have always been proof of a government in motion and possessing a will to move forward to improve the standard of living of the Maltese people. A government that has a goal and one that is determined to achieve it, doing so without ever losing its social conscience and keeping in mind the need to address important issues such as climate change.

Monday's Budget proved yet again that Lawrence Gonzi's government is not afraid to make tough decisions when needed even if this means being unpopular at times. Having said this, I think that after listening to what the Finance Minister had to say, the general comment is that this is, once again, an ambitious Budget that holds no nasty surprises. This Budget has managed to address many issues that affect the citizen directly with particular emphasis on small and medium enterprises that can look at the Christmas season with anticipation. Nevertheless, we would be mistaken if we had to base the benefits of this budget on one particular positive season. The government's plan is one of long-term rehabilitation from the negative economic situation that has hit Europe and, indeed, Malta for the last months.

Through the introduction of various incentives we can now pay less and live better, alternative energy is being promoted and encouraged not only because it is less costly but, more importantly, because it is more environmentally friendly, thus contributing positively as a nation towards the cause of climate change, a phenomenon that is affecting not only Malta but the whole world.

Undoubtedly, there is also the need to invest heavily in infrastructure with the completion of various arterial roads and the improvement of others but also, perhaps more importantly, the maintenance and upkeep of streets in our towns and villages.

This Budget has managed to address the concerns of both employers and employees and the needs of those investing in our country's economy while also focusing on the ever-growing needs of both pensioners and students, the former not only benefiting from a full cost-of-living increase but from other incentives such as the guarantee that medicine prices will be kept as low as possible, introducing more medicines for their disposal and the opening of more day community centres to keep them as integrated within society as possible. As for students, investment in education has always been high on the agenda of Nationalist Administrations and the ongoing process of improving our schools and increasing their facilities is proof of this commitment.

Job seekers will no longer be treated as a mere statistic but concrete proposals have been put forward to aid both school leavers to find a job and to train appropriately those presently unemployed to find an alternative job, which will not just pay a salary but, more importantly, offer job satisfaction. Mothers will no longer be at a disadvantage when opting to go and work and the introduction of after-school services and new child care centres aim to give them every opportunity to pursue a career.

While keeping in mind that it is inevitable that certain economic issues have to be tackled, it is clear that this Budget aims to give to the Maltese families a better standard of living and a way to move forward that is more environmentally friendly. It is a step to upgrade our society and integrating every member of the community. It is a Budget aimed at leaving no one behind, a budget intended to narrow the gap in our society by improving the standards of those who are most in need.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.

david.casa@europarl.europa.eu, www.davidcasa.eu