Government to implement electoral programme in 2014 Budget

The 2014 Budget will be the implementation of the government's electoral programme, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told civil society representatives today.

During a meeting held at Castille with members of the Civil Society Committee, Muscat said that such meeting were not held "to appease civil society," but to reinforce dialogue between representatives of society and the decision makers.

He added that tensions between civil society and government were healthy and necessary in a functioning democracy.

Turning his sights on Monday's 2014 Budget, the Prime Minister said that the government primary objective is to "implement the first phase of its electoral programme," which he described as a "working programme."

Representatives of the Civil Society Committee presented the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by six ministers and parliamentary secretaries, a booklet with a number of objectives identified by the committee which is composed of 12 members, representing 12 different sectors.