The level of life satisfaction reached 82% among
Maltese citizens according to results of a Eurobarometer survey published on Thursday.
The survey, held between April and May found that 41% of those interviewed expected
their life to remain the same in the 12 months to follow. 35% of interviewees forecasted that their life
would take a turn for the better by spring 2008, while 11% felt it would take a
turn for the worse.
The survey, which is representative of the population
at large, also revealed that 64% of citizens were in favour the island’s adoption
of the euro currency next year.
Where the economy is concerned, 30% thought it would
improve by May 2008, while 26% felt it would suffer. A further 20% thought that
the state of the economy would remain as it stood at the time the interviews
were carried out.
Reflecting upon their personal financial situations,
18% felt they would fare better by May 2007, while 17% felt they would fare
worse. 59% thought that their financial situation would remain more or less
unchanged, while a further 6% said they were unsure of the situation their finances
would be in 12 months after taking the interview.
Inflation and price rises were considered to be Malta’s largest
challenges with 34% of interviewees citing them as a priority. Illegal
immigration, which was considered to be Malta’s biggest challenge in a
previous study, fell to the second place with 30% of interviewees making
mention of it.
A significant percentage of Maltese at 25% also mention
unemployment as one of the great challenges Malta is to face in the coming
months.
51% of those questioned for the survey remained
favourable to Malta’s
accession to the European Union, while 66% felt that the island benefited from
joining the bloc. 23% felt that Malta
did not benefit from joining the EU, while 11% said they were unsure of how the
island fared since accession 2004.
