From pro-business to pro-market: PM highlights a change of philosophy

New Prime Minister Robert Abela highlighted a shift in the government’s philosophy, from a probusiness approach to one that is pro-market, aimed to give equal opportunities for businesses to flourish but, at the same time, for profits to filter down to all levels of the population.

Speaking in Gozo yesterday, Abela said that it will not be businesses which go to the government from now onwards; but it will be the government that goes to the businesses and to offer initiatives for them to continue investing in their products and services.

Abela’s predecessor Joseph Muscat, in his six years as PM, had spoken several times of a government that is pro-business. Being pro-market expands this concept to take care also of the consumers, while retaining the need to safeguard the interests of businesses.

He said that during the first week as Prime Minister, he had taken tough decisions which needed to be taken. No examples were given, but in his first few days as head of government the police chief has resigned and the PM ordered that the Daphne Caruana Galizia memorial is not cleared after the vigil held to commemorate her assassination.

These decisions, he said, has taken us back on the road towards normality and stability, and the feedback received has been encouraging, he said.

The Labour Party had quickly returned to being united after a leadership race that inevitably leads to some discord. Whereas the division in Nationalist Party had remained after a leadership race, this has not happened in the PL, he said, as the party had reunited immediately once the election for the new leader was over.

Abela also spoke about the importance of placing the environment and planning under the same ministry, as this meant that a balance will be found between the need to develop and the need to safeguard the environment.