Back to the ’80s: From Mintoff’s ‘Qawsalla’ to Abela’s ‘Malta Miegħek’

As though a general election were around the corner – not a whole five-year-long legislature away –  Prime Minister Robert Abela has issued an official announcement unveiling “Malta Miegħek” as the theme for Budget 2027, complete with a photograph and video link.

The release, a public relations exercise delivered through government channels, promises families peace of mind over bills, greater confidence in planning their future and opportunities for their children ahead of next week’s annual budget presentation.

It also gets the year wrong: the opening sentence refers to Budget 2017, while the video description identifies Budget 2027.

The slogan recalls a practice under Dom Mintoff in the 1970s and 1980s, when budget night was treated as an event of almost apocalyptic importance.

Writing in 2002, the late Labour finance minister Lino Spiteri recalled that Mintoff pushed finance ministers to give their budgets slogans. Spiteri said he ended his 1982 budget speech with one Mintoff had devised during their discussions. The Nationalist opposition mocked the practice.

“Il-Budget tal-Qawsalla” – the Rainbow Budget –  is cited in later commentary as an example of Mintoff-era budget naming.

Under Abela, the slogan practice re-appeared amd has become a separate government announcement.

In 2024, he unveiled “Pajjiż ta’ Kwalità” for Budget 2025. Than, “Ekonomija b’Saħħitha – Futur għal Uliedna” for Budget 2026.

The promotion involves substantial public money.

In Labour’s post-Mintoff era, the budget comes with an extensive publicity campaign including billbaards and social media.

According to a parliamentary answer reported in March 2026, the government spent €389,753.23 on the Budget 2026 information campaign.

“Malta Miegħek” is Abela’s promise this year. The evidence is due on Monday.