Sant Wants To Reduce Maltese Tax Burden

by Robert Lee, Tax-News.com, London

14 March 2003

Labour Leader Alfred Sant has pledged that he would cut taxes in a bid to boost the economy and reduce the tax burden for the average Maltese family if elected.

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the week, Sant announced that the package of reforms that his party is currently working on would help the self employed, as well as getting to grips with environmental issues, He revealed that he planned to pay for the measures with cuts in government spending brought about by more public/private partnerships.

“We are not promising heaven on earth but with good will, we will bring the country back on its feet," news website di-ve.com quoted Sant as observing of his reform plans. He also stressed that partnership would not just be restricted to public private cooperation on the island, but would extend to international partnerships also.

This led the Labour chief onto his vision of 'partnership' with the EU, which the electorate rejected in favour of full membership in the recent referendum. Sant was still seen contesting the validity of the result arguing that: "the truth is that government failed to get the 50 percent and one of eligible votes. In other acceding countries such as Hungary, the opinion polls are showing that the Yes vote amount to 70 per cent of eligible votes.”

Contesting the referendum result still further, Sant accused the government of not taking his argument seriously enough, adding: “However one may argue that the partnership option was not in the referendum question since the question was put forward by the Prime Minister and he failed to take up our challenge to put the choice between partnership and membership.” It is becoming increasingly clear to observers that the EU debate in Malta is likely to keep rumbling on for some time to come.

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