Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540773
THE Nationalist Party has criticised the Labour government for what it described as an explosion of national debt and a failure to address the coun- try's ongoing problems, despite record levels of spending. In a statement, the PN said that un- der Prime Minister Robert Abela, Mal- ta's national debt is expected to triple, reaching €14 billion, a record high. The party said this budget "spreads money around, but debt explodes and problems remain." The PN noted Finance Minister Clyde Caruana himself admitted that debt will continue to rise in the com- ing years, with projections showing it will increase from €11 billion today to €14 billion by 2028. "That means Robert Abela and Clyde Caruana will triple the country's debt, while the Maltese and Gozitans will continue paying almost €1 million a day in interest," Opposition leader Alex Borg told journalists in a press conference. Borg said although the government tried to copy its proposal to reduce taxes for parents with children un- der 16, the actual increase offered fell short of what the PN had suggested. It also noted that no tax reductions were announced for single people, couples without children, or pension- ers, who continue to face rising living costs. The PN said the government's budget failed to address Malta's main challenges, including traffic conges- tion, infrastructure strain, and popula- tion growth without proper planning. "We will continue to hear about traf- fic jams," the PN said, criticising Caru- ana's comments on public transport reform. Borg also said the fact that no mass public transport measures were an- nounced, meant Clyde Caruana "got his way." It also accused the government of cutting €100 million in capital ex- penditure at a time when the country's infrastructure "continues to crumble." The PN described the budget as a "show of money without solutions," saying that while the government spends heavily, essential services such as healthcare, education, and trans- port remain plagued with problems. Reporting by Karl Azzopardi Main problems not addressed, Borg says Gustizzja ghal Artna campaign activists on Monday evening marched from the Valletta law courts towards parliament building, protesting against government's proposed planning bills. The protest involved activists from several organisations and associations calling for the withdrawal of Bills 143 and 144, tabled in parliament before the summer recess. (Photo: Jade Bezzina/MaltaToday) PRIME Minister Robert Abe- la has promised that planning reforms will not move forward in parliament without proper consultation with environmen- tal NGOs. He insisted there are no red lines and every effort will be made to reach a compromise. Abela was speaking during a press conference at Cas- tille shortly after Finance Minister Clyde Caruana un- veiled Budget 2026. During his budget speech, a massive crowd of protesters gathered in front of parliament to pro- test the planning changes pro- posed by the government. Prior to Caruana's arrival in parliament, Abela met with the organisers of the protest. When asked about his meet- ing, Abela said he had met other environmentalists days before, naming lawyer Claire Bonello as one of them. He claimed that he under- stood their concerns, adding that the proposed changes are the subject of meetings with several environmentalists. Abela added that amended proposals will then be passed on to NGOs, stating that more changes can be made if need be. "There's no need to rush this process," he said, promising that there will be no progress in parliament before proper consultation. "There are no commitments or deadlines with anyone," Abela clarified. Clyde's short and sweet an- swer During the same press con- ference, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana was asked whether the parents' tax cut was enough to improve Mal- ta's birth rate, which has be- come an economic issue. He referred journalists to his budget speech, where he had stated, "No lone measure can solve all problems, but there should be a collection of measures, and this is one of them. I think that's clear." Under the measure, parents and married couples with children will benefit from overhauled tax bands over the next three years. The progressive tax savings will start being felt next year with higher tax-free income thresholds and the widening of intermediate tax brackets across the board for parents. This key measure of Budget 2026 will leave €160 million in people's pockets over the three-year span and effect thousands of families. The changes will apply also to families with one child. Abela promises not to rush planning bills through parliament before full consultation with NGOs 12 maltatoday | TUESDAY • 28 OCTOBER 2025 BUDGET 2026 Prime minister says consultation with NGOs will continue on planning reform: 'There's no rush' MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt