Political instability is ‘killing businesses’, GRTU survey finds

Businesses have been hard-hit by the ongoing political crisis with 65% reporting plummeting sales, a GRTU survey found.

The study across 50 different economic sectors from all over Malta has revealed the “devastating impact” the past two weeks of instability have brought.

The GRTU said that business sales have dropped everywhere with Valletta shops feeling the brunt. “Political instability is killing businesses,” the organisation said.

The survey found that 15% of respondents reported a drop of more than 50% in sales.

“Businesses explained how consumers even pulled the brakes on essential products like medicine,” the GRTU said, warning of the dire picture.

The survey showed that 46% of all responding businesses said they will be “reconsidering, postponing or cancelling their investment plans” for next year.

“The figures paint a very worrying picture. Our message is not targeted at protestors but at those in power that dragged and are still dragging their feet,” the GRTU said.

It laid the blame squarely on people in power and called for the immediate resignation of the Prime Minister.

“The last two weeks of chaos were avoidable but despite all the revelations, political theatrics and party greed were still more important than Malta. We expected more from our MPs who should have stood up to be counted when their country needed them most. Civil society cannot continue doing what you are failing at,” the GRTU said.