L-aġenzija Standard and Poor Global Ratings affermat ir-rating A għal pajjiżna, filwaqt li żammet l-outlook għar-rating bħala pożittiv. Fi kliem S&P Global Ratings, dan ifisser “that we could raise the ratings on Malta over the next 18 months”.
Fl-analiżi tagħha, S&P Global Ratings issostni li “our ratings on Malta are supported by its strong growth performance coupled with consistent current account surpluses driven by its large services exports, as well as its improving budgetary position and fiscal management”. Fil-fatt li fl-analiżi li kienet għamlet f’Settembru li għadda kienet bassret li r-rata ta’ tkabbir ekonomiku kienet se tkun ta’ 4% fis-snin li ġejjin, issa qed tbassar rata ta’ 4.5%, jew nofs punt perċentwali aktar, tant li r-rapport isostni li “we anticipate Malta’s growth will likely exceed that of peers at similar income levels and stages of development”.
L-istqarrija ta’ S&P Global Ratings tinnota s-suċċessi tal-politika tal-Gvern fil-legiżlatura li għaddiet. Fil-fatt, issostni li “in recent years and amid a high-growth environment, the government has narrowed the budget deficit, reduced general government debt-to-GDP, and undertaken several structural reforms, notably those that have increased female participation in the labour market and reduced the country’s energy bill”. Barra minn hekk, S&P Global Ratings hija kunfidenti li l-aġenda tal-Gvern se tibqa’ riformista, tant li l-istqarrija tgħid “we anticipate that macroeconomic policymaking will remain geared toward further fiscal consolidation”, u li “efforts to reform state-owned enterprises further, reduce skill mismatches, and improve the long-term sustainability of public finances in the context of an ageing population will be implemented gradually”.
S&P Global Ratings tgħid li temmen li l-qagħda fil-finanzi pubbliċi se tkompli tkun tajba, b’surplus fis-snin li ġejjin. Dan filwaqt li tinnota l-pjanijiet tal-Gvern li jżid l-ispiża soċjali, inaqqas it-taxxi, u jonfoq aktar fuq proġetti u infrastruttura. Minkejja dan, xorta qed tbassar li l-piż tad-dejn nazzjonali se jonqos għal 44% tal-ġid nazzjonali sal-2021.
Il-Gvern, filwaqt li jinnota l-kummenti ta’ S&P Global Ratings, se jkun qed jaħdem biex pajjiżna jkompli jgawdi minn fiduċja akbar fil-kamp internazzjonali, fiduċja li ssarraf f’aktar investiment u titjib fid-dħul tal-familji u n-negozji tagħna.
