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Gozo needs urgent decisions to be taken in order to ensure that the specific challenges faced by Gozitan families and entrepreneurs – namely accessibility, access to technology and EU funding – are addressed through specific actions. Gozo has a lot of potential, and it is now the time to translate reports and studies into action.

Partit Nazzjonalista MEP Roberta Metsola said this while addressing the conference ‘Creating your own Europe’ in Gozo, organised by the European Parliament Office in Malta. In her speech, Metsola addressed the specific challenges faced by the Gozitans, primarily accessibility.

“Gozo Channel needs not only urgent modernisation and upgrading of the current boats, but one or two more boats which should minimise queues and spending hours to travel from one island to the other. Another urgent service which should have started years ago is the fast ferry. This would lead to better quality of life for the Gozitans,” MEP Metsola said. As further solutions to the challenge of accessibility, Roberta Metsola mentioned the helicopter service and the permanent link.

MEP Metsola mentioned the access to technology as one of the main challenges being faced by Gozitan businesses. She said that this requires urgent investment, as new industries rely solely on creativity and innovation, which require adequate technology. At this point, Metsola also emphasised that Gozitans who travel daily to work in Malta should not see their pay being spent on transport fees, as these individuals would already be facing the daily challenge of commuting.

Lastly, on EU funding, MEP Metsola said that it is evident that Gozo must benefit from the maximum amount of funding, something which the Maltese Government should address today, whilst the negotiations on the upcoming EU budget are ongoing. She emphasised that such funds are crucial for further investment in the island, which, in turn, will lead to economic growth.