Budget 2017 gets 70% implementation rate

Seven out of every 10 budget measures for this year have been implemented, Mario Cutajar, the head of the civil service said this morning.

Addressing a press conference on the implementation of Budget 2017, Cutajar said the implementation rate was similar to that of previous years. He expressed satisfaction that this was achieved in election year when the civil service had to also deal with Malta's EU presidency.

The result means that some 265 measures were implemented for 2017, with Cutajar adding that the measures not implemented yet were of a longer term nature.

"This year we also implemented more than 50 measures from past budgets," he said, adding that no measure is left standing on a shelf.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, who also addressed the press conference said the breakdown of what budget measures were implemented was the result of greater accountability.

"We made it a point to number each budget measure so that we could track its progress," he said.

Scicluna applauded the civil service and urged it to continue reforming itself to be closer to its clients.

"I believe people should have all the information readily available to know what they can benefit from and how," Scicluna said.