Roads to parks: construction cash redirected to urban greening

A radical shift in budgets from infrastructural roadworks to urban greening will be taking place in the next two years.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana confirmed with MaltaToday that with some €200 million not been utilised from the infrastructure budget from a total of €700 million, this budget will be phased out gradually and redirected to urban greening.

“We will be phasing out the infrastructure budget, but it does not mean that no roadworks will take place but the emphasis will be on urban greening.

“The country’s finances in the next three years need to be focused to make up for price hike in energy and basic retail items.

“The government has no intention of allowing the economy to dip because of inflation, we will cushion price increments as far as is possible.”

The urban greening projects will be captained by Minister Miriam Dalli, while new minister for infrastructural projects Aaron Farrugia will be tasked with concluding the many road projects that were started.