Muscat: Maltese blueprint of economic growth and social initiative can be applied to Europe

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said Malta’s ability to marry its commitment to social policy initiatives while maintaining economic growth, was proof the two can co-exist and said this Maltese blueprint should be applied in Europe.

The Labour leader was addressing a congress of the European Trade Union Confederation, which brings together unions and federations representing some 45 million workers.

He underscored the “futility” of embarking on social projects in the absence of the necessary financial means to support them, and warned against “soulless” economic growth that came without corresponding improvements in social sectors.

“Malta has succeeded in reducing its deficit and registered record employment, all while offering fee childcare, training of the work force and incentivizing those on benefits to enter the workforce,” he said.

Additionally, he said his government had now sent out a clear message that another increase in the minimum wage was necessary and that Malta supported the ETUC’s push for better pay across Europe.

“We support it because we are doing it,” he said, stressing however that employers should not be viewed as the enemy. “I think that in such a trying time, there has never been such a great need to work together.”

He said that the upcoming renewal of the Rome Treaty should see the EU give workers a better deal than they have over the past 60 years.

He also said that one of the big questions that need to be answered “is whether or not the EU is of retirement age… Europe should renew itself and rediscover the vigour which has been missing the past years. We must put forward an optimistic view of the EU.”