2013 Budget expected by mid-November

Finance minister Tonio Fenech says the 2013 Budget will be presented by mid-November although no precise date has been set.

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech would not give an exact date for the 2013 Budget but confirmed it will be presented by mid-November.
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech would not give an exact date for the 2013 Budget but confirmed it will be presented by mid-November.

Finance minister Tonio Fenech today said the 2013 Budget is expected to be presented "between the beginning of to mid-November."

Although no precise date has been set, Fenech told MaltaToday that the budget will be held by mid-November.

The approaching budget could well spell the end for the current Nationalist administration if Nationalist MP Franco Debono delivers on his threat to vote against the government, which has already lost its one-seat majority following the defection of Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando who now sits in Parliament as an independent.

The date of the looming general election could depend on whether the government survives the budget or not, although the Prime Minister could dissolve Parliament before the budget takes place.  

Parliament will reconvene on Monday 1 October following a three-month summer recess.

Speaking after a visit at TRC Family Entertainment in Msida, the finance minister also insisted that Labour leader Joseph Muscat had not denied that he will freeze the minimum wage.

Yesterday, Muscat announced that he will initiate libel proceeding against Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and the Nationalist Party over claims that Labour will "freeze" the minimum wage.

The Labour leader has described these claims as a "lie".

"It is an attack not only on me and the Labour Party, but also an attack on civil society because it seems that despite all those spokespersons who were present at the congress dialogue which is being quoted understood my position, Gonzi and his people somehow understood the reverse."

However, this morning Fenech pointed out that the unions, which Muscat is claiming to have on his side, have not endorsed the proposal not to increase the minimum wage.

The finance minister said that the Forum Unions Maltin (Forum) and UHM have distanced themselves from Labour's proposal and reminded that the General Workers Union had included the increase of the minimum wage among its set of proposals to all political parties for the forthcoming general election.

"Joseph Muscat should sue the Labour Party's information office because it has clearly stated that the party will not increase the minimum wage if it is elected to government," Fenech said.

The Nationalist Party is insisting that Labour leader Joseph Muscat's pledge not to raise the national minimum wage, announced during last week's PL national congress, was tantamount to a 'minimum wage freeze', alluding to the general wage freeze instituted by a Labour administration back in 1983.

Although, Muscat never suggested he would remove the cost of living adjustment he said a new Labour governmnet will not increase the minimum wage over and above the annual cost of living increase, citing productivity and economic growth as Labour's main priorities. 

The Nationalists' new electoral billboard hits out at Labour's 'minimum wage freeze' portraying Muscat holding at an ice cube with minimum wage inscribed over it.

During his visit at TRC Family Entertainment noted that the gaming industry in Malta is growing and hailed the €15 million investment by TRC, which already employs more than 100 persons, despite opening less then a year ago.

Fenech said: "Unlike Labour which wants to attract cheap labour to Malta, the government is attracting value added jobs such as the ones created in the gaming industry, which do not depend on the minimum wage."

avatar
Veru din il gimgha kienet gimgha stupenda ghall poplu malti kollu ghaliex sirna nafu ezatti fix jikonsistu il-proposti tal JM. Warra erbgha snien jwieghed il-living wage issa din spiccat fuq l-ixkafa, anzi mhux talli hekk talli issa sirna nafu li il-minimum wage ha tigi ifrizatta sakem JM jidirlu li l-ekonomija tal pajjiez tkun kibret bizzejed biex imbaghad meta jidirlu hu JM (forsi ikun l-ahhar budget ta qabel l-elezzjioni), jidecidi kemm izzied il minimum wage jekk dan ma jitlax fil gvern u issib il hofra li beda jitkellem fuqqa il PL il gimgha l'ohra u ghallek ikollna nistennew iktar. Imma il-politika tal PL sa tkun brillanti bizzejed biex warra l-ewwel senna l-ekonomija tal pajjiez terga tkun fuq saqqaja ghax JM qalina ukoll li gvern laburista jerga igib lura il fabirki tal manifattura f'malta .....dawk li kienu ihallsu b 'cents. Igifieri il-pjan ta JM mhux talli ma jolliex il minimum wage sakemm jidirlu hu (igifieri il minimum wage tkun iffrizatta ghal perjodu ta zmien) imma talli rrid iktar nies jahdmu go fabriki u ikunu jideppendu fuq il-minimum wage. din huwa ir-roadmap ta JM ehhh ghax insejt il-GWU harget stqarija li bhalla union tal haddiema taqbel mal proposti tal PL...imma fl-istess hin ghamel proposti lill gvern biex fil-budget li immis jikunsidra li joghli il-minimum wage......hawadni ha nifmek l-isbah wahda kienet ta dawl u l-ilma.....l-istess bhall living wage, kulhadt jahseb li kief jitla fil gvern il PL ha jrahas il-kontijiet ta dawl u l-ilma, illi nisma nies jitkellmu fuq din il-proposta zmien. imma issa sirna nafu li il-kontijiet se jorhsu bl-uzu ta technologija gdida Photovolatic panels u solar panels, power station li tahdem bil gas li min jifhem f dan is-sugget jitebah mill ewwel li dawn il-proposti ghall kemm huma sbieh jistu biex isehhu warra hafna tull ta zmien...igifieri kumidja ohra ta JM u warra kollox din ma hi xejn xi proposta gdida photovoltatic panels illum snien jigu installati malta u solar panels mhux talli hekk talli il-gvern illum itik is susidju fuq dawn il-panels dan hu il pjan ta gvern laburista warra 20 sena fl opposizzjioni mhux ta b xejn qieghed iz-zomm kollox mistur u jistahba warra il problemmi interni tal PN. ghax malli jibda jitkellem il-poplu jintnebah bl ingan kollu ta JM u il PL
avatar
Veru din il gimgha kienet gimgha stupenda ghall poplu malti kollu ghaliex sirna nafu ezatti fix jikonsistu il-proposti tal JM. Warra erbgha snien jwieghed il-living wage issa din spiccat fuq l-ixkafa, anzi mhux talli hekk talli issa sirna nafu li il-minimum wage ha tigi ifrizatta sakem JM jidirlu li l-ekonomija tal pajjiez tkun kibret bizzejed biex imbaghad meta jidirlu hu JM (forsi ikun l-ahhar budget ta qabel l-elezzjioni), jidecidi kemm izzied il minimum wage jekk dan ma jitlax fil gvern u issib il hofra li beda jitkellem fuqqa il PL il gimgha l'ohra u ghallek ikollna nistennew iktar. Imma il-politika tal PL sa tkun brillanti bizzejed biex warra l-ewwel senna l-ekonomija tal pajjiez terga tkun fuq saqqaja ghax JM qalina ukoll li gvern laburista jerga igib lura il fabirki tal manifattura f'malta .....dawk li kienu ihallsu b 'cents. Igifieri il-pjan ta JM mhux talli ma jolliex il minimum wage sakemm jidirlu hu (igifieri il minimum wage tkun iffrizatta ghal perjodu ta zmien) imma talli rrid iktar nies jahdmu go fabriki u ikunu jideppendu fuq il-minimum wage. din huwa ir-roadmap ta JM ehhh ghax insejt il-GWU harget stqarija li bhalla union tal haddiema taqbel mal proposti tal PL...imma fl-istess hin ghamel proposti lill gvern biex fil-budget li immis jikunsidra li joghli il-minimum wage......hawadni ha nifmek l-isbah wahda kienet ta dawl u l-ilma.....l-istess bhall living wage, kulhadt jahseb li kief jitla fil gvern il PL ha jrahas il-kontijiet ta dawl u l-ilma, illi nisma nies jitkellmu fuq din il-proposta zmien. imma issa sirna nafu li il-kontijiet se jorhsu bl-uzu ta technologija gdida Photovolatic panels u solar panels, power station li tahdem bil gas li min jifhem f dan is-sugget jitebah mill ewwel li dawn il-proposti ghall kemm huma sbieh jistu biex isehhu warra hafna tull ta zmien...igifieri kumidja ohra ta JM u warra kollox din ma hi xejn xi proposta gdida photovoltatic panels illum snien jigu installati malta u solar panels mhux talli hekk talli il-gvern illum itik is susidju fuq dawn il-panels dan hu il pjan ta gvern laburista warra 20 sena fl opposizzjioni mhux ta b xejn qieghed iz-zomm kollox mistur u jistahba warra il problemmi interni tal PN. ghax malli jibda jitkellem il-poplu jintnebah bl ingan kollu ta JM u il PL
avatar
ministru pulcinel fenech, smajt xaght inti stess sentejn ilu fuq il minimum wage li mandomx jolew il pagi. veru bniedem egoist ugiddib.
avatar
Lill-Ministru Fenech issa drah kulhadd. Hafna kliem fil-vojt u sostanza xejn. Hafna tidwir mal-lewza u ma jasal imkien. Kulhadd jaf x'qal u x'ried ifisser Joseph Muscat. Il-problema ma hiex ta Muscat , imma ta dawk li ta bir-ruhhom mhux jifhmu. Ahjar talab skuza u rrifonda z-zieda li hadu ghalihom infushom minn wara dahar kulhadd. Dak kien l-akbar skandlu li qatt niftakar jien fil-politika Maltija. Tonio Fenech tista tpacpac kemm trid wahdek fil-budget speech kif taghmel is-soltu, imma din id-darba se jkun il-kagun tieghek u ta shabek. Il-poplu Malti qed jistenna bil-herqa l-mument li jehles minnkom darba ghal dejjem. Malta farraktuha u mlejtuha bid-dejn u telliftulha giehha.
avatar
"Finance minister Tonio Fenech says the 2013 Budget will be presented by mid-November" .. has he discussed this with Franco Debono and the Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando?
avatar
Gonzi qed jurina kemm hu nieqes mill-hniena u kemm, fill-verita', jigi jitmejjel mill-pajjiz. L-aqwa li jkompli johlom li se jerga' jgibha zewg bhal ma ghamel fit-2008. Eventwalment iwarrab ikollu...probabbilment "Kicking and acreaming" kif jghidu l-inglizi. X'misthija ta' bniedem!
avatar
Luke Camilleri
MHUX li tiprezentah Budget imma li zzomm mieghu! Tonio Fenech wera kemm hu talent veru limitat minn ta' GonziPN ghax lanqas il-EU ma ghogob bil budget tieghu is-sena l'ohra........ u bejnietna ma nafx min semmghu il-Budget Speech tieghu ghacx il-kullhadd raqad x'hin kien qieghed jaqrah ! : ) Gonzi & Co. ma zaamu l'ebda Budget, l'ebda target u l'ebda bench mark U ISSA TARD WISQ BIEX TIPROVA TINGABAR ghax probabli jkunu fuq il-banek tal-Oppozizzjoni! MIN IRRID JITHAQ B'MIN meta lanqas maggoranza parlamentari ma ghandhu ? Kif ha jghaddi dan il-dudget? PNtomimi!
avatar
Igor P. Shuvalov
Well so everything is falling into place now. So we will have a repeat of what happen before Parliament broke up for the summer holiday.. initiating various bills but no votes are called. Come mid-November and the budget is presented. But then it will not be put for discussion. By the end of November the House is adjourned and in three months time - end beginning of March the elections are held.Perfect timing, at least for the Government.
avatar
X'jilghabha tal-bully dan l-ahhar l-abbati ta' birkirkara --- kemm sar aggressiv hej il-boy f'daqqa, bilkemm ma tahsbux xi heavyweight hiereg ghall-glied !!!! Issa jew austin gatt ordnalu biex jilghabha tal-bully biex (minghalih) se jbezzaghna milli nikkritikaw il-budget ..... jew sar jaf li n-nies ta' birkirkara indunaw kemm ma jiswa xejn u kif gabna fixxa ...... jew qed jinduna bil-figuri li qed jaghtuh l-iskrivani tal-ministeru tal-finanzi li irnexxielu jdahhalna f'deficit enormi li dalwaqt se jisplodi ..... il-hasra hi li din il-bomba mhux se tisplodi f'wiccu (kif haqqu, wara kollox) izda f'wicc is-successur tieghu waqt li hu jkun jilghaq il-lollipop fil-bankijiet tal-oppozizzjoni u jerga' jtiha ghax-xoghol mad-ditta fejn kien qabel ma dendel kusu (b'tant success !!!!!) fil-politika u fil-finanzi tal-gvern ......
avatar
Warrbulu l-ahwa ghax Tonio (Mhux Cuc Malti) Fenech (dak l-istess wiehed li faqa l-Kaxxa ta' Malta)se jroxx il-BZAR. Roxx, roxx Tonio forsi taqbad li mazzun!
avatar
:the finance minister also insisted that Labour leader Joseph Muscat had not denied that he will freeze the minimum wage. din bis-serjeta? Mela vera tlifna rasna issa!? Wara hafna paroli u xnighat qabduni il kurzita u ergajt rajt il gungress tal P.L biex niverifika, u Dr Muscat f'lebda hin ma semma xi tip ta friza tal paga minima nazjonali.Jien nahseb li jekk ha jibqaw sejrin biha din il haga hafna nies ha jibdew jemnu li il-P.N qed ihawwad l'irjus u ta tinzielx sew ma dawk li forsi ma jafux fejn ser jitfaw il vot tahhom f'lelezjoni li dalwaqt mana.
avatar
@ Tonio Fenech Int trid titkellem fuq il- unions meta waqt diskussjoni tahraq ma rapprezentattivi ta union partikolari l- ewwel waddabt dak li sibt quddiemek ghall ras wiehed minnhom u imbghad habbejt ghalieh u qattajtlu il- qmis!!! Imissek tisthi, imbghad tilghaba tal qaddis, bniedem ipokrita! Issa ghidilna ftit meta zidtu il- minimum wage intom fl- 25 sena? Qatt. Il- COLA jehodha kullhadd u mhux dawk fuq il- minimum wage biss.
avatar
Zack Depasquale
Does Minister Tonio Fenech have permission from Dr Franco Debono and Dr Pullicino Orlando. If according to this news item the budget is presented by mid Novemeber, this government will spoil the Christmas season for us as we will be having an election on Christmas eve. This is gross irresponsability from GonziPN and the oligarchy.
avatar
Bzar fl-Ghajnejn jew Melh fuq il-Feriti? Il-Poplu iriid jghix is-sena kollha u mhux ftit qabel l-elezzjoni. Tinsiex kemm ghola il-gas, kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, petrol u diesel, ikel, sahha, kjus biex tiehu dak li hallasna ghalih sahha sura u fil-hin mhux meta tkun wasalt biex titlaq. Tinsiex ukoll tahseb biex kull min seraq irodd lura dak li mhux tieghu, u dak id-dejn u deficit, minn ha ihallas ghalih uliedna w ulied uliedna. Tal-misthija Hon Fenech.