Cabinet Approves New Measures During Government’s First 100 Days

Prime Minister Robert Abela chaired an open Cabinet meeting at Castille marking the Government’s first 100 days in office, under the theme ‘100 Days With Your Strength’, where a number of new measures were announced.

The decisions approved during the meeting focused on supporting families, improving conditions for essential service workers and introducing further measures from the Government’s electoral programme.

One of the measures involves the creation of a new fund to compensate third parties who suffer property damage caused by nearby construction works.

The Cabinet approved the necessary legal amendments to establish the mechanism, allowing the Government to compensate affected residents before recovering costs from those responsible for the damage.

The fund will be supported by resources generated by the construction industry and is intended to reduce bureaucracy for residents while allowing repair works to begin more quickly.

Prime Minister Abela said the measure builds on other reforms in the sector, including licensing requirements, training and the introduction of the skills card for construction workers.

The Cabinet also approved changes aimed at strengthening incentives for members of Malta’s disciplined forces to remain in service.

The pension-related incentive for officers who continue serving beyond 25 years will increase from 23% to 29%, while the non-taxable allowance available after 29 years of service will be extended from four to six years.

The Government said the measures are aimed at retaining experienced personnel and strengthening security services.

Another measure announced by Minister for Youth, Wellbeing and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme Omar Farrugia concerns the permanent reduction of stamp duty on the transfer of businesses between family members. The rate will decrease from 5% to 1.5%, while the changes will also allow heirs to benefit from the reduced rate when a family member passes away during the transfer process.

Prime Minister Abela said the Government will continue focusing on long-term planning, sustainability and targets that extend beyond a single legislature. He said these priorities are reflected in the Government’s electoral programme and Malta Vision 2050.

The Prime Minister also highlighted Malta’s economic performance, saying that the country’s strong economy and positive growth are providing the Government with the means to continue delivering major projects and investing in people’s wellbeing.

During the meeting, representatives from different sectors of society also contributed to discussions on the country’s future, while recognising the work carried out by the Government during its first 100 days and in recent years.

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