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ADPD has urged the government to present “real solutions” for the country in next Monday’s Budget, rather than what it described as “playing around with figures and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).” On Saturday, ADPD PRO Brian Decelis said that government’s continued focus on GDP as the measure of success ignores key economic and social realities. “Another defective assumption is that trickle-down economics works, it does not. GDP does not factor in the value of natural and social assets such as clean air and the contribution of those who look after others without compensation, which is so vital for our economy,” Decelis said. Decelis said ADPD’s Green Vision 2050 offers an alternative framework, one that “looks beyond GDP but gives value to an economy that values the environment and improves wellbeing.” He called for a system where human activity and the environment are complementary rather than in conflict. Turning to Malta’s rising public debt, Decelis highlighted that, according to the National Statistics Office, national debt is increasing by €4 million every day. This, he explained, is leading to higher interest payments, which have risen by €40 million above 2024 levels. Meanwhile, ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that no budget measure will ever be able to compensate for the havoc that the proposed planning bills will bring. Gauci said the party will join a national protest on Monday, calling for parliament to halt proceedings on what she described as “a threat to social justice and democracy.” She added that government must not be influenced by those who think their money can dictate the country’s agenda, insisting that the rule of law must also apply to Malta’s planning system.
