Abela promises free ferry and island clean-up in budget reply
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Prime Minister Robert Abela has used his budget reply to pitch a cleaner island to voters. Illegal structures and graffiti are being cleared from Manoel Island to restore public access, while a new visitor fee for Comino will fund the next stage of works at the Blue Lagoon. Mr Abela described the fiscal plan as Europe's only progressive budget.
The list of government giveaways includes making the Gozo Channel ferry free for foot passengers, though the benefit will not arrive until 2027. This long-term promise coincides with shorter-term friction over labour policy; the nurses' union is demanding meetings over measures targeting foreign workers, which former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has already dismissed as ineffective.
The week’s legal disputes have also moved from the courtroom to the news cycle. Arnold Cassola is suing activist Neville Gafà for libel, while the opposition is currently accusing the Attorney General of intentionally weakening her own office's ability to prosecute.