Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning hailed the creation of 'a new middle class' saying the proportion of people at the risk of poverty is falling and many people are earning more.

Dr Muscat was speaking in a brief interview on One Radio.

He reiterated the government's commitment to ensure that economic growth percolated to growth for all strata of the economy.

"We are proud to be the best in Europe by having the lowest unemployment in the eurozone, and a declining poverty rate, although more needs to be done," Dr Muscat said.

He said 20,000 new jobs were created in the past three years and a new middle class was being created, with many people seeing their living standard improve.

Those at risk of poverty had declined. Those earning less than €10,000 a year had declined by 4,000, while 5,000 more people were earning between €20,000 and €30,000. The number of people dependent on social welfare had declined sharply.

A Eurobarometer survey found that 80 per cent of people had confidence in the country's economic future. 

Dr Muscat said the signs of a revamped health service were becoming increasingly evident - there were no medicines out of stock in the past six months. Yesterday the private sector announced a dedicated air ambulance service between Gozo and Malta.

In the energy sector, in the coming weeks, the temporary gas storage tanker would arrive in Malta, opening the way for another quantum leap, this time in the provision of clean energy. The tanker would remain in Marsaxlokk for a few years until a gas pipeline was in place, he said.