Malta will continue to support families and businesses, and keep finances under control, despite major disruptions in the global market, Robert Abela said on Monday morning. 

The prime minister was addressing the media ahead of a meeting with European Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn at Castille, Valletta. 

Finance minister Clyde Caruana and Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Chris Bonett were also present at the meeting. 

The visit comes at a time when EU member states are discussing EU budgets.

“This discussion is coming in a particular context, as the global landscape has completely changed since the meetings held in Brussels back in 2020,” Abela said. 

He said the major disruptions were brought about by the Ukraine invasion in February 2022, which he said has changed the "economic landscape completely". 

“There has been a huge increase in energy prices, inflation, food inflation, and inflation across the board, and the fourth sector would be mass migration, which unfortunately impacts Malta negatively due to its geographic positioning," he said.

Abela said the European Union must support the people alongside its promotion of European values. 

“People across Europe have no responsibility for what happened in February 2022, but it is the same people who are bearing the brunt of these negative decisions,” he said. 

He said the government continues to support Maltese and Gozitans, especially ‘pockets of people’ who need support the most.