Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday that the government’s focus is on seeing out its full mandate and leading the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing a political activity, Abela said it would be a mistake to start talking about elections during this recovery phase.
“This is a government that is focused not on elections, but on a sense of duty. This is my mission. I want the country to come out from this even stronger than it was last March”, Abela said.
He said the expected arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Sunday evening would accelerate Malta’s vaccination programme by two weeks.
As from next week, letters would be sent out to all vulnerable people in society for them to get vaccinated in March.
Abela appealed for responsibility during the carnival holidays, urging people not to take unnecessary risks.
The Prime Minister said the government had given people peace of mind throughout the pandemic and Malta continued to be one of the leading countries in tackling the virus outbreak.
Instead of increasing taxes during the economic slowdown, the government had opted for one of the biggest budgets the country had ever seen, he said.
He added that the government was able to do this thanks to the country’s sustainable economic model.
He said the government was willing to work with all those who had “Team Malta” at heart.
“Let us put partisanship aside so we can work for the country.”
Abela said the government had last week reversed a decision taken by the Nationalist government to remove time off in lieu for holidays falling on a weekend.
He said the PN government had “stolen” 50 days of leave from workers.
Abela also vowed to kickstart the tourism industry, saying there were opportunities to be had once the worst of the pandemic is over.
The Prime Minister confirmed plans to appoint eight new members of the judiciary.
On the social housing front, Abela said the scale of the government’s investment in housing was reminiscent of the 1970s.
He assured that the Housing Authority is following all cases of tenants facing eviction due to rent laws violating landlords' right.