Budget approval will show Malta is back in business - Gonzi

Opposition leader Lawrence Gonzi said this morning that it was important for the EU to know that Malta was back in business, and the approval of the Budget in the second week of next month was important in this regard. He was speaking at PN headquarters during a visit by EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg, his former deputy in the PN. Dr Gonzi  said he had discussed the Budget timeframe with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the past days with a view of having it approved shortly after Parliament convened on April 6. Dr Gonzi also spoke about the "extraordinary differences" between Malta and Cyprus, praising the Governor of the Central Bank for explaining that Malta had a very strong banking sector with huge liquidity. "Let's not muddle the differences between the two countries," he said, in light of international news reports that implied Malta could face the same challenges as Cyprus. Dr Gonzi said he disagreed with the Eurogroup's position to place the burden for Cyprus' bailout on depositors. "If we were there, we would have made that argument," he said. Dr Gonzi also praised Dr Borg's work during these past four months as Commissioner, pointing out the various challenges he...