Prime Minister Robert Abela on Monday refused to be drawn into speculating about a potential November election, in comments following the Budget 2022 speech.  

He brushed off multiple questions about whether he would call an election several months early, after the finance minister presented the last budget of the legislature.  

The prime minister said a number of months were left in the current legislature and the government’s focus was on implementing the budget.

Speaking after the budget speech, Abela gave a rundown of some of the key measures announced by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, including pension raises, stipend increases and initiatives to promote the use of public transport.

Questioned about plans to have Malta removed from the FATF greylist of financial jurisdictions, Abela said the government was already working on an action plan and the FIAU and the economic crimes unit had been given unprecedented resources.  

On a revision of the ARMS billing system, announced by the finance minister, Abela said bills had always been issued in accordance with the law.  

The prime minister said the government had not rushed into revising the way these bills are calculated, because certain sectors would have been negatively impacted. 

He noted how the government was not raising energy and fuel prices, despite skyrocketing prices in Europe.  

'A good news budget'

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne dubbed the 2022 budget as a “good news budget”.  

He said the entire country was reaping the benefits of decisions taken during the start of the pandemic.  

“They were not always easy decisions, but they were based on medium and long-term aims,” Fearne said.  

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