Abela says upgrading of electricity distribution system will intensify in coming months

Prime Minister Robert Abela said work on the country’s electricity distribution system will intensify in the coming months.

“We carried out the biggest investment in the country’s distribution system in Malta’s history. €55 million were spent in the first phase, leading to the replacement and improvement of the distribution system, work which will intensify in the coming months,” Abela said during a phone-in interview on party radio station ONE Radio on Sunday morning.

The PM’s comments come as the country faces a power cut crisis across Malta and Gozo, as a number of localities faced prolonged outages over the past weeks. On Saturday Enemalta announced 14 generators were deployed across the country to cope with power cuts.

Speaking on the sector, he said government is committed in improving the country’s distribution, also slamming the Nationalist Party’s pledge to privatise electricity distribution, stating it is not the solution and will only lead to higher costs for Maltese families and businesses.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the new collective agreement with the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), labelling it as a major milestone in improving the conditions for educators in Malta.

“This is the best agreement ever approved in this sector. It demonstrates the government’s strong commitment to empowering our teachers and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their family background or circumstances, has equal opportunities to make their dreams a reality. Education remains the key to unlocking a brighter future for all,” he said.

He also spoke about the re-election of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her recent announcement that she would be creating a separate portfolio to deal with the Mediterranean, as part of her next team.

The proposal came from a Med9 summit which was held in Malta where nine leaders from countries across the Mediterranean discussed the need for a specialized commission within the European Commission dedicated to Mediterranean issues. This proposal stems from the understanding that the Mediterranean region, often viewed solely through the lens of immigration problems, presents numerous opportunities for collaboration and development, he said.

He said the proposal of Commissioner for the Mediterranean had been put forward by the Maltese government, welcoming von der Leyen’s pledge on the post.