Malta’s most pressing issues: inflation and immigration

The rising cost of living and immigration are the two most important issues facing Malta, according to the findings of a Eurobarometer released today.

Maltese respondents identified inflation as Malta’s topmost concern (56%), followed by immigration (35%). The third highest concern at 28% is the environment and climate change.

Inflation is also the highest concern across all 27 EU member states with an average of 45%, followed by the economic situation with 18% and the environment and climate change at 16%.

Unlike the rest of the EU, Malta has been shielded from the cost of rising fuel and energy prices. But if fuels and energy are removed from the equation, Malta’s inflation is actually higher than the euro area average, driven primarily by higher food prices.

In terms of immigration, Malta has experienced very few boat arrivals, which suggests that the concern with immigration is actually linked to the exponential increase in foreign labour.

The Eurobarometer survey was carried out in June.

Respondents were also asked what they thought were the two most important issues facing the EU. For Maltese voters, the international situation and immigration were topmost concerns at EU level with 49% and 41% respectively.

Rising prices, the international situation and immigration were the highest concerns on average across all 27 member states with 27%, 25% and 24% respectively.