Kwalità tfisser investiment fil-futur. Imma minflok il-gvern, fi żmien meta hemm bżonn investiment sod fl-ekonomija tal-futur u fil-kwalità tal-ħajja tan-nies, baqa’ juża s-sussidji (li kienu neċessarji ta’ żmien il-pandemija) bħala paraventu. Qed jaħraq mijiet ta’ miljuni ta’ Euro f’sussidji li qed jiffinanzja permezz tad-dejn. Dan qaluh kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party waqt konferenza stampa dwar il-Budget 2025 il-Belt Valletta illum filgħodu.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li l-gvern mhux vera jrid il-kwalità għax mhux qed jinvesti verament fit-tul. “Is-self mill-gvern meta jsir bil-għaqal, u meta jsir biex isir għal investiment fit-tul, li jrendi benefiċċji kemm għalina illum imma anke għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri huwa għodda important għal kull pajjiż. Li qed jiġri iżda huwa, li għalkemm l-emerġenza tal-pandemija issa għaddiet, il-gvern xorta qed jiddejjen biex iħallas sussidji fuq il-fuel u l-elettriku, lil kulħadd u lil kull settur irrispettivament mill-bżonn, irrispettivament mill-użu jew il-ħela, irrispettivament mill-użu ta’ riżorsi u t-tniġġis. Dejn għal infieq rikorrenti, dejn li jintefaq barra mill-pajjiż f’xiri ta’ riżorsi huwa biss telf ekonomiku għall-pajjiżna. Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi qalilna li d-dejn żdied bi qrib biljun Euro oħra u sal-aħħar tal-2025 se jlaħħaq qrib it-12-il biljun Euro. Minkejja dan il-gvern xorta ħela mijiet ta’ miljuni ta’ Euro f’toroq u flyovers li ma solvew xejn fit-traffiku, anzi żieduh. Xorta ma rajniex investiment f’mezzi effettivi ta’ trasport pubbliku, bħal per eżempju l-proposta tagħna ta’ sistema Bus Rapid Transit, li tfisser sistema ta’ spazju riservat fit-toroq għat-trasport pubbliku biss. Minkejja dan id-dejn għadna pajjiż dipendenti bil-kbir fuq fuels li jniġġsu.”

“Filwaqt li l-bdil fit-taxxa tad-dħul, iż-żieda fl-ammont li taħtu ma titħallasx taxxa jagħti nifs lil min għandu dħul baxx, il-vera riforma hija li l-paga minima verament issir paga diċenti li tagħti dinjità lil kull ħaddiem. Bid-dejn akkumulat ta’ kważi 12-il biljun Euro, wieħed kien jistenna li l-gvern jara kif tal-anqas jissostitwixxi n-nuqqas ta’ dħul żejjed mit-taxxa tad-dħul b’riformi f’taxxi oħra, speċjalment fuq dawk li gawdew l-aktar bis-sussidji massivi ta’ waqt il-pandemija, anke biex jirkupra ftit minn dik l-ispiża bla preċedent lura. Dan huwa importanti għax f’dawn iż-żminijiet bl-effetti katastrofiċi tal-bidla fil-klima f’pajjiżi tal-Mediterran, il-possibilità ta’ emerġenzi anke f’Malta mhux xi ħaġa li nistgħu ninjoraw. Sorsi ta’ dħul jistgħu jkunu l-użu ta’ riżorsi li jniġġsu, capital gains, u taxxa fuq il-lussu ta’ jets private, u jottijiet. Dawn tassazzjoni tal-ħela jwasslu anke għal bidla fit-tip ta’ investiment u negozju li rridu f’pajjiżna, imma l-gvern baqa’ jinjora l-bżonn għall-bidla u baqa’ jaġevola lil min qed ipappiha.”

Dr Ralph Cassar, Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party semma’ qasam ieħor fejn ma rajniex qabża ta’ kwalità, il-qasam tal-enerġija u l-użu tal-enerġija. “Huwa tajjeb li l-gvern se jnaqqas is-sussidji fuq l-enerġija bin-nofs. Dawn kienu €580 miljun fl-2023, €320 miljun dis-sena u l-estimi juru €152 miljun għas-sena 2025. Minkejja r-retorika u t-trijonfaliżmu tal-gvern dawn l-ammonti enormi ta’ sussidji fuq kulħadd, min juża ftit enerġija, min juża ħafna, min bil-għaqal u min jaħli bl-addoċċ, ittieħdu minn ħalq setturi oħra u investimenti oħra importanti. Minkejja dan id-dejn kollu, xorta għadna fost l-aħħar fl-Unjoni Ewropea fejn tidħol enerġija rinovabbli. U m’hemmx għażla oħra ħlief li l-gvern verament jinvesti mijiet ta’ miljuni fl-enerġija rinovabbli, għax jekk nibqgħu lura l-pajjiż se jkollu jibqa’ jesporta l-flus, jibqa’ litteralment jaħraq il-flus fuq fuels li jipproduċi ħaddieħor.”

“Dan biex ma nsemmux id-diżastri kbar li l-ħruq tal-fuels qed jikkawża mad-dinja kollha fosthom fil-Mediterran. Ta’ min insemmu li filwaqt li noffru s-solidarjetà mal-poplu Spanjol u l-Valenzjani, li dawn it-tip ta’ avvenimenti estremi tat-temp diġà saru aktar spissi, u jafu jiġu għall-għarrieda. Maltempati estremi iżda ukoll nixfa qawwija bħal ma’ qegħdin naraw f’Malta. Huwa appuntu għalhekk li għandna bżonn nħaffu l-pass lejn enerġija rinovabbli, iżda ukoll aktar u aktar enerġija ‘Made in Malta’ biex ma niddependux fuq ħaddieħor kważi kompletament. Huwa appuntu għalhekk li hemm bżonn miżuri ta’ mitigazzjoni iffukati u serji, għax dak li jista’ jiġi fuqna għall-għarrieda ma nistgħux nippreveduh. Ma hemmx inċentivi effettivi u finanzjati sew biex ikollna ambjent aħjar. It-’token measures’ mhux biżżejjed. Kif diġà sħaqna, biex isir investiment, għall-ġid tagħna imma ukoll tal-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri hemm bżonn li jsir pjan li jinżamm biex id-dejn jerġa’ jsir sostenibbli. Hemm bżonn li self li jsir ikun għal investiment fit-tul f’setturi tal-futur, ta’ karbonju żero. Hemm bżonn li ninfatmu minn setturi li jaħlu r-riżorsi u li ma jikkontribwixxux għal kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar għan-nies, kemm illum u anke fil-futur.”

“Ma hemm l-ebda qabża lejn Pajjiż ta’ Kwalità. Li qed naraw business as usual – fejn min jaħli, min jagħmel qliegħ kapitali enormi, min għandu business model ibbażat fuq l-isfruttament tal-ħaddiema, min iniġġes u jħammeġ, u min jimmina l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna lkoll baqa’ jiġi ppremjat. Dan minkejja l-kliem sabiħ fil-pre-budget document. Bħas-soltu dawn id-dokumenti ma jiswewx il-karta li stampati fuqhom. Il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri se jġorru l-piż ta’ din l-irresponsabilità. Prosit Ministru.”

***

Quality means investing in the future.  The government is doing the opposite. 

Quality means investing in the future.  However, instead of investing in a stable, shock-proof economy and improving the quality of life of the people, the government is hanging on to subsidies that were essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the result that hundreds of millions of euros in subsidies are now being wasted.  This was highlighted by speakers for ADPD – The Green Party during a press conference on the 2025 Budget this morning in Valletta. 

ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that while saying that it wants ‘quality’, government is failing to invest in the future and for future generations. “When borrowing money is done with a sound economic and social plan in mind, used for long-term investment for the benefit of present and future generations, you have a very important tool.  However, what is happening is this. Despite the fact that the pandemic is now a thing of the past, the government is still borrowing to pay subsidies on fuel and electricity, for everybody and all sectors, irrespective of use, waste and lack of efficiency in the use of energy.  This leads to misuse or waste of resources and more pollution.  Borrowing for recurrent expenses and borrowing to spend money for the purchase of foreign-sourced resources is simply an economic loss for the country.  The Minister of Finance has told us that our national debt has gone up another billion euro, and by the end of 2025 it will be close to 12 billion Euro.  In spite of this debt, as an EU country, Malta can be found at the bottom of the list when it comes to renewable energy.  We have wasted hundreds of million of Euros on roads and flyovers which have not solved any traffic problems.  We have not seen investment in public transport, such as our proposal for a Bus Rapid Transit system, that reserves whole routes on roads for the exclusive passage of public transport.  And in spite of this huge debt, we remain a country heavily dependent on fossil fuels.” 

“While the changes in income tax brackets may help low-income earners, true reform lies in having the minimum wage becoming a living wage to allow earners to live in dignity.  With nearly 12 billion euros in debt, one would have expected the government to find ways of making up for uncollected tax by introducing reforms in other taxes, in particular focusing on those sectors that received heavy subsidies and made huge profits during the pandemic.  This is especially important in these times where we are witnessing the catastrophic effects of climate change in Mediterranean countries, and such emergencies cannot be ignored.  Sources of additional government income could include polluting activities, closing capital gains tax loopholes, taxing the use of private jets and yachts. This income should be used to really invest in the future, additionally such taxation can be used to push investment and business in a carbon neutral direction. Instead government chooses to support waste, pollution and business as usual.”

ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar said that another sector in which we have not seen a real leap in quality is the energy sector. “It is a step forward that government is slashing energy subsidies by half . In 2023 these blanket subsidies were €580 million, €320 million this year, and an estimated €152 million in 2025. Government can spout triumphant rhetoric as much as it likes, however these massive amounts of blanket subsidies – for sectors which are wasteful, for those who use energy efficiently and those who don’t care alike – means that resources were diverted from the necessary investment in important sectors and from investment in the future. In spite of the massive debt we have remained one of the laggards in renewable energy in the EU. The truth is that government has no other choice and must find the money to invest hundreds of millions in renewable sources of energy. We cannot afford to be left behind. We cannot afford to literally burn away money and export money out of the country.”

“We have to come to terms with the possibility of extreme weather events, and the effect the energy industry based on fossil fuels is having all over the world, including in our region, the Mediterranean. We cannot but express our solidarity with the people of Spain and Valencia. We too have to be prepared for these eventualities, even by investing in the future, to mitigate the effects of climate change. We are already seeing a prolonged period of drought in Malta, other extreme events are a possibility. That’s why we need more and more renewables, more energy  ‘Made in Malta’. We need to wean our country off foreign fossil fuels as much as possible and fast. Token measures are not enough. This is why we insist that public debt must be reined in. We need sustainable borrowing for investment in the economy of the future, a zero-carbon economy. Sustainable borrowing means borrowing increasing sources of government income from polluting activities and borrowing for investment only. We need to wean this country off sectors which are wasteful and which do not contribute to a better quality of life for us and for future generations.”

“In this 2025 Budget we have not seen the necessary focus towards becoming a ‘quality country’.  What we see is business as usual, that is waste of resources, government support for sectors whose business models are dependent on the exploitation of workers, and no attempt to penalise pollution. Whoever undermines our quality of life has been rewarded, in spite of the flowery language used in the pre-budget document, that promised something different.  As usual, these documents are not worth the paper they are printed on.  Future generations will bear the burden of this irresponsibility.”