Opposition Leader Alex Borg said the Nationalist Party would recognise and build on the positive measures announced in the 2026 Budget, but warned that the government had once again failed to present a long-term vision for Malta’s biggest challenges — from transport and overpopulation to the rising cost of living.
Borg said the Opposition would always support good ideas and that when in government, the PN would continue building on sound policies already in place. “We will recognise what is good, but we also have a duty to highlight what was left out,” he said. “I want to make sure nobody is left behind.”
He noted that the Budget ignored the urgent need for a holistic mass transport plan, saying Finance Minister Clyde Caruana appeared to have “got his way” in blocking more ambitious proposals. “While the Prime Minister seems to want to move ahead with a mass transport system, Clyde Caruana clearly doesn’t,” Borg said.
The PN leader also criticised the absence of a plan to address overpopulation, warning that Malta’s economic model remains dependent on population growth rather than productivity. He said the €4.66 weekly COLA increase would do little to ease pressure on families, adding that “cost-of-living measures remain insufficient to match real inflation.”
Borg pointed out that capital expenditure had fallen by €100 million, which he said reflected deeper issues affecting infrastructure and foreign investment.
He acknowledged that the new family tax band was based on a PN proposal for a fairer system for parents with more than one child, but said the party’s own plan had gone further, including an €8,000 direct payment to families. “Still, we are pleased the government has taken this step — it’s a positive move in the right direction,” Borg said.
The Opposition Leader also criticised the lack of investment in education and regional infrastructure, noting that no new schools, hospitals, or court facilities were announced, and that Gozo was again left without key projects such as the Marsalforn breakwater or a replacement for the ageing Nikolaus ferry.
Asked whether the Budget would encourage more people to have children, Borg said the incentives were “positive,” but that Malta needs a broader plan to make family life viable — one that includes quality jobs, stronger economic sectors, and more accessible housing.
He also said the government must do more on work-life balance, pointing to the EU directive spearheaded by Nationalist MEP David Casa. Borg reiterated the PN’s support for a pilot project on a four-day work week, saying the party remains “ambitious and committed to strengthening family time, because without a strong family nucleus, society risks collapse.”
