An expanded embassy in Brussels will better analyse situations - PM

The Budget presented on Monday would help prepare Malta to get the best out of European Union membership, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami said yesterday.

Addressing party members at party headquarters in Pietà, the Prime Minister said the people had known about the budget measures even before the Budget was announced because the government no longer kept everything close to its chest but discussed its proposals with the social partners and the level of discussion had this year reached a new peak.

The government submitted its proposals to the social partners, listened to what they had to say, analysed the situation, changed and adapted measures as necessary, and as a result the Budget it presented contained no surprises.

Although the government shouldered the responsibility for the measures taken, the decisions about them had not been solely its own.

Despite knowing what the Budget would contain, the people had still been waiting for the Budget with expectation because this was the first budget of a country living new times, that of a country that would be joining the EU.

The people wanted to see how the government was proposing to prepare the country for a situation where it would take the best out of the EU.

In order to do so, Malta had to have people continuously in Brussels to keep their eyes on what was happening and analyse situations. That was why it was expanding its embassy in Brussels. But for Labour leader Alfred Sant this was a waste of money.

The Budget, Dr Fenech Adami said, was aimed at controlling government finance, and at reducing the deficit to an acceptable level.