The election happens when I decide so - Robert Abela

Prime Minister Robert Abela put a lid on Bernard Grech's suggestion for a general election straight after the pandemic, firmly stating that an election will happen "when I say so".

"Elections don't bother me. We work for them, and we win them. To those who say we have little time left in government - you have short time left as Opposition leader," he said. 

While addressing a political activity in Rabat, the Prime Minister made a few comments praising Rosianne Cutajar, who temporarily resigned from her Junior Minister position last Thursday pending an investigation from the Standards Commissioner on her relationship with Yorgen Fenech.

"Rosianne put the interests of the country before her personal interests, at a time when she was working on important reforms," he said. 

Abela assured that the reforms in question will not be put on hold through her resignation.

He went on to celebrate the launch of government's pre-1995 rent reform, which he says is based on three key principles. 

"Every citizen has a right to have a roof over their head. The uncertainty among many pensioners must be changed to certainty and peace of mind. Owners must receive just compensation for their property - we're not taking about speculators," he said.

Abela further acknowledged the importance of the construction sector, which he described as a "crucial motor" for Malta. During last year's announcement of the COVID-19 stimulus package, one of the measures announced was a lower tax rate on property sales.

The measure, applying to those under a promise of sale agreement, was slated to be available up until March 2021. 

However, Robert Abela announced that it will be extended until July 2021.

In an added announcement, the Prime Minister said that parliament will tomorrow be discussing amendments to the divorce legislation. The legal amendments, put forward in December 2020, seeks to eliminate waiting time altogether for those couples that are legally separated, irrespective if the request for divorce is by mutual consent or requested by only one of the parties.

In those cases where there is no legal separation, the couple would have had to be living apart for six months in the previous year if both parties want a divorce.