The €100 Government vouchers will again be given, but this time will be divided into €60 to be spend at accommodation and restaurants, and €40 at shops and retail services, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna announced on Monday night, during his Budget speech.

Vouchers will be given to all those who will turn 16 by the end of 2020, while the measure is expected to cost the Government €50 million. More details will be given at a later stage.

The vouchers have largely been praised for being the life-blood of many restaurants, while providing a much needed boost to Malta’s retail and hotel industry.

As part of the Government’s stimulus package, vouchers had been issues to Maltese residents, with €80 redeemable at hotels and restaurants, and €20 at shops and retail services.

Wage supplement to be retained

The COVID wage supplement, first introduced in March for businesses within specific industries, will continue in its current form until the end of the year.

It will then be revised based on Government income receipts, which flow in at the end of the year.

The authorities will be looking at tax returns to better understand which sectors require more aid, which may need less and which excluded sectors should form part of the wage supplement scheme.