The Budget came in for praise from Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar for giving importance to heritage, as could be seen, it said, by the funds allocated to the restoration of several heritage sites.

While welcoming the initiative, it said it was especially gratified that funds had been earmarked for the ongoing restoration of the bastions and the fortifications, as well for maintenance works on scheduled properties.

It also commended the announcement that registration tax was to be waived for low-polluting commercial vehicles, which should contribute to the environmental upgrading of commercial fleets.

The incentives offered to transport operators to attract more users made sound commercial and environmental sense as they would encourage the public to switch to public transport and reduce the number of cars on the road, FAA said.