The Times of Malta is currently running a campaign against the budget for its tariffs on third-country nationals, echoing the criticism by many NGOs who are reducing the debate about our economy into absolute banality.
This is what happens when the press is manipulated and rigged by the government. There can’t be a serious and scrutinising debate about our public finances because the government has manipulated the press to the tilt with subsidies and interference. Times of Malta has been significantly sponsored by the Bank of Valletta, a bank which is run with political motivations, to provide an easy platform for the Finance Minister.
The Times is unable to provide serious scrutiny of the fiscal risks behind our public finances so instead it has to fill its pages by banalising the economics of the budget as it avoids the serious issues which may actually embarrass the Finance Minister.
The debate about third-country nationals has been reduced to absolute banality because on paper, there is no racism or discrimination behind it. The concept that access to the European market is costly should be applied on a very wide and broad spectrum and this isn’t just about third-country nationals.
In addition it is very confusing what these critics want. They sometimes want to give the impression that overpopulation is a problem but are now complaining that the government intends to impose additional tariffs on the foreign labour force.
People don’t seem to understand the very basics of how our economy works and again, this is why the Finance Minister feels comfortable enough to project his bravado with Times of Malta while letting big daddy take our questions during the press conferences. This is not serious scrutiny.
Malta is part of the EU which means it is part of the single-market. Our labour force is not exclusive to Maltese people: it is open to the European market. People who think that this market can be accessible by anyone and any time in the world have no idea what they are talking about.
The government is currently running a very high-stakes game with public finances and the risks carried in this policy are very structural and deep. The Finance Minister is getting away from being seriously challenged about his policies.
You can read more about our analysis here, here and here
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Historian and Publisher
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