Left think-tank organisation Zminijietna has said that Budget 2025 was “positive but precarious jobs and housing inequality are still not addressed.”
It welcomed the various social measures that were introduced during the budget speech in order to improve the standard of living of the people.
The organisation noted that “energy subsidies, the increase in the minimum wage and pensions are all crucial elements in this budget. Same with the financial assistance to the disabled people. Government should retain the ‘Stabbilita’ scheme.”
With regards to ‘the migration policy,’ Zminijietna said it hopes that this will translate itself into measures such as the formation of new ‘sectoral agreements’ or a ‘mandatory union membership’ for those workers who are not yet protected by a union.
“On housing, Zminijietna said that “there isn’t any incentive to create housing co-operatives, as an alternative to a property market driven mostly by the private sector. Nor measures for affordable accommodation. Homelessness and housing inequality will increase unless this situation is not addressed properly. Discussion on affordable housing should be on the national agenda.”
As for the Gozo Channel to have its fourth vessel, Zminijietna said it “thinks that this is a step forward in the right direction. This will reduce pressure for the building of a Malta-Gozo tunnel link.”
“On pension reform, legislation for the introduction of the ‘occupational pension’ system should not result in ‘income inequality,” it said.
“Further to the sustainability of ‘State subsidies,’ a viable credit fuel system could have been a better alternative on fuel consumption, both socially, economically and environmentally,” stated the leftist organisation.
Zminijietna concluded by saying that “Malta should continue with the national strategy to connect Malta energy grid with a European gas pipeline network, as this will make it possible in the near future to shift energy use to green hydrogen. The state should be directly involved as a strategic partner in offshore wind farms projects.”
File photo