Strong Malta, caring government

Owen Bonnici (Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government.)

This week, at the launch of the Malta Biennale 2026, I announced the establishment of the Malta Biennale Foundation. It was a decision taken at Tuesday's Cabinet of Ministers meeting, which will have a long-term positive impact on Malta's artistic and cultural sectors. 

This foundation will be the entity responsible for managing and organising the Malta Biennale in the coming years. It will provide a strong structure to ensure that this event continues to grow, strengthen, and reach more people, both in Malta and beyond our shores. 

Through the setting up of this foundation, we are doing something far greater than simply organising an artistic event. We are building a cultural institution that will leave a lasting impact. We are providing stability, continuity, and direction to this important event for our country.

Building bridges

The Malta Biennale is not only an art exhibition, but above all, a platform for ideas, creativity, and collaboration. It is a space where Maltese culture meets the international one, where new cultural connections are formed, and where art becomes a bridge between peoples. 

In the context of the current turbulent geopolitical situation, this takes on even greater significance for dialogue and the appreciation of different cultures and perspectives. During the Biennale, Malta becomes a laboratory of ideas, where different viewpoints meet and create something new. It is a story of a nation that believes in the power of art.

140 artists

The Malta Biennale 2026 will take place between 14 March and the end of May, spanning 11 weeks. Under the direction of internationally renowned curator Rosa Martínez, this Biennale will bring together more than 130 local and international artists from 43 countries. More than 140 artists will participate with works that bring creativity, innovation, and their experiences from every corner of the world. 

My sincere gratitude to Mario Cutajar, who is responsible for the organisation of Malta Biennale, and all the Biennale team who are dedicating their efforts to ensure that this second edition is a remarkable success.

Geopolitics and Malta

Geopolitical uncertainty is spreading rapidly. The escalating tensions surrounding the United States, Israel, and Iran are carrying real consequences for families, businesses, and governments across the globe. Supply chains are being disrupted, and energy prices have soared to unprecedented heights.

Energy prices remain among the most sensitive indicators of global stability. For many families and businesses across Europe and beyond, these developments translate into something deeply personal: anxiety.

Concerns 

Parents worry about whether they will be able to keep up with rising costs. Small businesses wonder whether they will be resilient enough to survive the global shocks. Companies operating in tourism, manufacturing, and logistics are deeply aware that geopolitical tensions affect consumer confidence. 

This is the reality of the modern global economy. A drone, or a long-range missile, fired thousands of kilometres away can eventually affect the price of bread in a local supermarket and your electricity bill at home. That is why governments today must protect their citizens from the turbulence created by geopolitical uncertainty.

A small island 

Although we are thousands of kilometres away from the epicentre of this crisis, and we have no military bases on our soil, Malta, like every other country, is certainly not immune to these events. As a small island economy deeply connected to international trade and energy markets, Malta is sensitive to rapid changes in oil prices and the wider geopolitical turbulent situation. Yet Malta, thanks to the Labour government, led by Prime Minister Robert Abela, has also shown that responsible governance and long-term planning provide stability even in the most uncertain of times.

Punching above its weight 

Over the past six years, the Maltese government has pursued a clear and consistent strategy: protecting families and businesses from global price shocks by maintaining subsidies on energy and fuel.  That decision, notwithstanding mounting pressure from the EU to phase the subsidies out and partisan criticism from the Nationalist Opposition party, has proved to be providential for families and businesses alike. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, energy prices around the world have experienced huge volatility. The pandemic was followed by supply chain disruptions, the Russian aggression of Ukraine, inflationary pressures, and now new geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. 

Across Europe, many governments, instead of cushioning consumers from the rising energy prices, decided to look elsewhere, with families and businesses bearing the brunt for their governments' inaction. Households in several EU countries experienced dramatic increases in electricity and energy bills. Businesses went bust, and hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost.

Protecting families

Malta chose a different path. The Labour government made a clear decision: energy prices would remain stable. Families and businesses were protected, and still are six years to the day, and will remain so.  This responsible political decision was not simply an economic measure. It was a statement of priorities. 

For families and businesses, stable energy prices mean peace of mind. They can invest, expand, and hire workers, knowing that their energy costs will remain predictable.

Resilience

This stability has become one of the defining features of Malta's economic resilience in recent years. It has helped protect purchasing power and sustain consumer confidence even during periods of international turmoil. 

Removing subsidies during a period of global instability would have meant exposing families and businesses to sudden and severe costs. It would have meant transferring the burden of international crises directly onto ordinary people.

Stability 

Instead, the government chose to prioritise stability. While households across Europe continue to bear the brunt of high energy costs, Maltese families have benefited from stability and peace of mind. Businesses have been able to plan with confidence. The economy has continued to grow at an impressively strong pace; we have the lowest unemployment rate in history; the 2026 budget rewarded families with the biggest tax cut ever, and consumer confidence has held firm. 

Today, as the world watches with alarm and anxiety the escalating geopolitical tensions, the importance of such mature and responsible foresight becomes even clearer. For countries without protective measures in place, the consequences are painful.

Reassurance 

For Malta, however, the presence of established energy subsidies provides an important buffer. Labour reassured people that even if global markets become turbulent, as they are now, families and businesses will not be left to carry the can; the government would protect them. It did during the pandemic and is doing so now. 

This is what responsible governance looks like.  It is not about reacting to crises only when they arrive, but preparing in advance, and ensuring that the well-being of families and businesses remains at the core of every decision.

We care

Labour cares and understands that economic policy is not merely about numbers on a balance sheet. It is about the everyday realities faced by parents, the elderly, young people, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. 

In times of geopolitical upheaval, leadership matters more than ever. It requires the courage to stand by decisions that protect people. It requires vision to focus on long-term national stability. 

While the rest of Europe and the Middle East are plunged into geopolitical tensions, Maltese families and businesses have something invaluable: certainty.