Alex Borg says Malta needs to address housing affordability crisis

Opposition leader Alex Borg has called for reforms to address Malta’s housing affordability crisis and demanded greater transparency from government ministers following recent controversies.

In an interview on Net Television, Borg insisted the government must introduce a mandatory asset declaration system for all ministers. 

“If ministers and the prime minister declare all their assets year after year as they are supposed to do, as they used to do before, we will have a clear picture of what type of assets they have, what type of income they have, what type of expenses they have,” he said.

The comments come the controversy surrounding Housing Minister Roderick Galdes, who purchased a penthouse in Gozo for €140,000 in 2024. 

Borg said the Nationalist Party had called for Galdes’s resignation and for an investigation by the auditor general.

“We have Minister Roderick Galdes, who says he bought this property for €140,000. This property includes a duplex, townhouse, garage and airspace. The agreement was signed in 2024,” Borg said, adding that a smaller penthouse in the same block without a garage sold for €185,000 in 2022, two years before Galdes’ purchase.

The Opposition leader also highlighted allegations by former Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi that Galdes had attempted to interfere politically in the allocation of social housing positions at the Housing Authority.

On housing affordability, Borg proposed several measures to help first-time buyers. 

These include rent-to-own schemes where government properties would allow tenants to convert rental payments into equity, and equity sharing models where the government becomes a shareholder in first-time buyers’ properties.

“When you need a 10% deposit on a property, we are talking about €40,000 on €400,000. Do you think young people who are just starting out have €40,000?” he questioned. 

He proposed a fund be created so government helps first-time buyers with their deposit payment by paying out 50% which would be paid later. 

Borg also addressed concerns about population growth and immigration, stating whilst certain sectors require foreign workers, the government needs to conduct a labour market study to identify where workers are genuinely needed. 

He criticised the government’s lack of direction, noting Finance Minister Clyde Caruana had stated Malta’s population needs to reach 800,000 for the economy to continue growing.

On education, the Opposition Leader stressed the need to modernise the system to address demographic changes and prepare students for digital realities. He called for investment in the Gozo Innovation Hub to create quality jobs in sectors such as fintech, e-sports and digital innovation.

Regarding domestic violence, Borg said the court system’s backlog was creating additional victims. “We need to speak as opposition year after year about the need for reform in our country’s justice system, reform in our courts, so that the backlog we have, especially in the family courts, is reduced,” he said.

For Gozo, Borg outlined plans for investment in connectivity, including five new vessels for the Gozo Channel, four for passengers and one dedicated to cargo that would travel directly from Imgarr port to the freeport. He also emphasised the need to preserve Gozo’s character whilst allowing sustainable development.

“There needs to be progress, there needs to be certain sustainable development that continues, and that also offers a quality economy to Gozitans,” he said. “But we cannot lose what gives Gozo its identity.”

The opposition leader confirmed he would publish the Nationalist Party’s audited accounts for the past four years within his first 100 days as party leader, as promised during his leadership campaign. 

Borg also announced that the party had successfully raised €15,000 within days through a crowdfunding initiative to fund the Nationalist Party’s first political podcast.

He said a second crowdfunding campaign would be launched in the coming days to raise funds for a National Convention, which would enable an open, nationwide debate on the future of Malta and Gozo. This was a pledge he made during his leadership campaign.