Almost half the Maltese people think the worst of the recent economic crisis is over and things are now starting to look better.

However, many still fear the crisis could hit job creation and they expect more bad news in the months to come, according to an EU-wide Eurobarometer survey.

Those expressing relative optimism amounted to 47 per cent of respondents, higher than the EU average of 42 per cent, and 40 per cent expressed a more pessimistic view.

The survey was carried out in November by Misco among 500 people.

The respondents are split down the middle in their view of how the government handled the economic crisis, with 46 per cent saying it could have tackled it better and 44 per cent satisfied at the way it was handled.

Compared with their EU counterparts, the Maltese emerge as the least in favour of taxing banks or financial transactions, which are believed to be among the main culprits of the recent economic crisis.

Asked whether special taxes should be imposed on bank profits, 51 per cent agreed while 26 per cent completely disagreed. Likewise, 46 per cent are against taxing financial transactions and only 30 per cent agree. In the EU, on average most agree that banks (81 per cent) and financial transactions (61 per cent) should be taxed.

The survey also dealt with the main goals of the EU’s 2020 strategy aimed at developing the European economy into one of the best performing ones in the world. The ambitious goals include a 75 per cent employment rate, the production of 20 per cent of all energy needs from renewable sources and having 40 per cent of the younger generation with higher education qualifications.

The majority of Maltese respondents fully supported such goals although some thought they were overambitious for Malta. For example, 23 per cent felt the 75 per cent employment rate was too ambitious. The island has the lowest employment rate in the EU.

Education seemed to be a major priority among the Maltese, with 81 per cent saying the government should invest more in improving the quality of all levels of education.