Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party described the budget 2011 as a mixed budget.

In a reaction to the budget, AD emphasized the importance of a sustainable budget to curb the deficit in a context of global crisis. AD agrees certain measures such as tax deductions to all parents, the increase of maternity leave, incentives to use rundown properties and the deficit reduction. Indeed AD had proposed these measures over the years.

However AD also notes that some negative aspects of the budget, such as too little emphasis on alternative energy and green jobs when the price of oil will keep increasing.  There are no measures to mitigate property speculation and the minimum wage will not increase, despite the hardships faced by low income earners.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson said: “The environment and the economy are different faces of the same coin. Environmental degradation will create more costs to the Maltese economy, whereas AD calls for holistic policies which protect the environment and create green jobs.”

A worrying aspect is the fact that in some taxation measures the more one earns the greater the reduction in tax, when it should have been those with the lowest wages who should have benefited most.

A more detailed reaction will be communicated during a press conference later this week.