Cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss how to tackle housing injustices, Prime minister Robert Abela said on Sunday.
Addressing supporters, he also promised his administration will continue intensifying efforts for social housing accommodation while ensuring that the people had enough disposable income to “live a decent life”.
The Prime Minister argued that the party’s “social soul” cannot allow tenants to remain uncertain over their future, while also maintaining that landowners must earn due compensation for their property.
Abela stated that Malta’s homeowner statistics indicate that 80% of people owned their home.
“When compared to a giant like Germany, where only 25% of people own their home, the fact that 60% of Maltese homeowners are not in debt or still paying their homes is positive and encouraging,” he added.
Abela also stated that since 2013, Labour administrations have issued schemes such as those for first-time and second-time buyers’, meant to make it easier for people to buy their homes.
The prime minister outlined several other schemes introduced to ease housing cost pressures, including that which saw the housing authority stepping in as co-owner but giving the buyer the opportunity to buy its share at preferential rates at a later stage.
The prime minister said the government invested €100m in “the biggest affordable social housing project ever,” with the aim of building over 1,700 apartments.
“The right to affordable social housing is key to social mobility,” Abela said.
“Social mobility is not a perpetual right but it is one that is given when needed,” he added.
On post-1995 rental arrangements, the prime minister said that the housing benefits scheme is aimed to look at a person’s income and rental costs to calculate how much funding will be needed.
“We’ve spoken to people who were dealing with high rents and had to move out from several apartments.
“The amendments we came up with will ensure that everyone gets a decent level of disposable income after paying their accommodation expenses,” Abela said.
A Cabinet meeting on Monday, he said, will discuss the plan to implemented to address decades of injustices on this issue,” he added.
Abela promised that “whoever deserves” rental price protection will not be burdened with costs that could lead to homelessness, while also making sure landlords are given market-level compensation.
Cannabis, construction reforms
The Prime Minister doubled down on commitments made by the party to reform legislation related to the “responsible use of recreational cannabis,” stating that people should not be prosecuted for possession.
After decriminalising personal use and seeing that people were still being arrested over minimal quantities, we will reform this sector because it is not acceptable to close our eyes to these injustices,” Abela said.
On the reform of the construction sector, Abela stated that the creation of the Building and Construction Agency is proof of the government’s drive to regulate it.
“The main principle behind this reform is to ensure the protection of the common good,” he said.
The prime minister also committed to further efforts to speed up divorce proceedings, arguing that people going through such a process should not suffer undue delays.