Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said today that people should expect a “serious” budget similar to the previous four in this legislature.
“This will be a Budget that the country needs,” he said, adding that presenting a budget was the “first priority” of the government, as the end of the year approached.
The Budget must respond to the aspirations of the Maltese people, he said, but decisions must be continued to be taken carefully.
Speaking to supporters in Tarxien, Dr Gonzi quoted European Commission president Juan Manuel Barroso saying Malta was “an anchor of solidity” in the Mediterranean.
“He said this because we were careful. And my appeal is: let us remain careful. Our country needs it,” Dr Gonzi said.
“We do not have people protesting in the streets because their pensions and salaries are being cut or because they lost their jobs and factories closed... Sure, we have many people who are grumbling. But it’s better to have what we have than what is happening in other countries which are slipping into social crises,” Dr Gonzi added.
Dr Gonzi used a sparring tone during the meeting, saying he had faith that the electorate would choose PN because it was a party with which “you know where you stand”.
“You will not choose those who are hiding,” he said, encouraging supporters to have faith, despite the fact that there was lots of work in store.
The meeting saw Dr Gonzi take questions from pre-selected individuals who asked about the areas of education, disability and working mothers.
At no point was the forthcoming lease of St Philip's Hospital, which the government said in a statement yesterday would go ahead, mentioned.
Dr Gonzi said that education was the primary difference between Labour and PN. In fact, he joked about the fact that headquarters of the two parties were separated by a school.
While PN always prioritised education, the Labour Party’s policies on education 30 years ago had “ruined the lives” of many people aged between 40 and 50 today.
To the contrary, the Government built a new school every year and equipped all schools with the latest technologies.
He said the PN was committed to continue providing a choice for parents by also investing in private and independent schools.
Dr Gonzi recalled his recent suggestion to build a second Junior College, but added that even Naxxar’s Higher Secondary School needed more space thanks to the increased numbers of children attending school.
Dr Gonzi also spoke about the PN’s commitment to improved accessibility for those with disabilities.
Society used to expect people with disabilities to adapt to fit into society, but the PN helped changed this mentality so that society adapts to those with disabilities.
But as people were clapping, Dr Gonzi cautioned them that this sometimes meant having to make sacrifices, such as when the planning authority insists on the building of a ramp or a lift.
Dr Gonzi also celebrated the official selection of Valletta as Europe’s capital of culture for 2018. He said Labour kept its mouth shut about this achievement which was mostly thanks to the Government’s investment in Valletta in the past years.
“I hope that Labour now realises that this investment has already reaped results.”
Peppering his speech with harshly-worded criticism towards Joseph Muscat, Dr Gonzi accused the Labour leader of only being interested in being the youngest Prime Minister in history.
He claimed Dr Muscat had said this, the same way he said he wanted to freeze the minimum wage.