FZL – Budget ensures a better quality of life for youngsters in Malta and Gozo

The Labour Youth Forum expressed its satisfaction with the budgetary measures, presented in Parliament yesterday evening, by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna.

"FZL is very content with the budget, especially as it showed that the interests of the youngsters were a priority for government," the group said in a press statement.

The FZL said that there were a number of incentives which would help youngsters in a direct manner, as well as an indirect one.

"What will surely help many youngsters in Malta is the implementation of the guarantee for youngsters, in which around 350 youths who are currently inactive, will be given individual attention so that it would be easier for them to integrate in the working world or start a course," the statement said.

The FZL also praised the government for its promise to offer incentives for businesses who employ apprentices or offer work placements for youngsters.

"Apart from the investment injected into University and MCAST, there will also be a rise in stipends - something which has not been done to students since 1999. Furthermore, in its measure to give stipends to those that have to repeat a year, the government is also showing that it believes in the potential of young students and wants to ensure that these students do not get disheartened, whilst giving them an opportunity for another chance to acquire their necessary qualifications," it said.

The Forum said that the budget was also a good one as it helped those youngsters that are planning on starting a family in the near future - as the stamp duty was removed for first-time buyers on properties priced at 150,000 and less.

"This clearly shows that the government is recognizing the realities that are affecting young people in Malta when they start their independent life, giving the appropriate attention to these," it said.

The FZl also said that the budget also positively targeted young parents, with a number of measures announced to help these persons raise their children and to ensure a form of presence during the development of their children.

"As the Prime Minister had already promised, this was going to be a budget for those that were willing to work and it definitely incentivizes ambitious youngsters," it said.