Malta will get around €125 million from a newly negotiated EU social fund, MEP David Casa said on Thursday. 

Speaking during a press briefing about the €90 billion European Social Fund +, Casa urged the government to come up with a seven-year plan on how to best use the funds allocated to Malta.

He said past funding rounds had been used on measures such as providing tablets to schoolchildren, Jobs Plus scheme as well as funding to unions and civil society groups.

Casa, who led negotiations for the new fund, expressed his satisfaction that it was approved by the European Parliament without the need for a vote. 

This, he said, was because all the parliament’s political groups had agreed on reporting leading to the setting up of the fund. 

Questioned if funding should be tied to a government’s adherence with rule of law norms, Casa said he did not agree with people most in need being made to suffer because of a government’s wrongdoing. 

The fund is one of the EU's main tool for promoting employment and social inclusion by helping people get work, or a better job, integrating disadvantaged people into society and ensuring fair opportunities.

It was formally adopted by the European Parliament on Wednesday.