Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has hinted that Malta’s upcoming Budget will be different from previous years, with a greater focus on tackling long-standing issues rather than simply introducing more financial benefits.Speaking during an interview with FLiving Malta, Caruana described the upcoming Budget as his personal favourite, explaining that it will address several policy challenges that previous Budgets may have overlooked.“If you ask me, Clyde Caruana, I think this is the Budget I’m most pleased with,” he said.The Finance Minister acknowledged that his previous Budgets had largely focused on giving people financial assistance and benefits, but suggested that this approach may have come at the expense of other important decisions.“My previous Budgets were all about giving, giving, giving, giving and giving,” Caruana said.He admitted that certain issues requiring government intervention may not have been addressed over the years.“Governing isn’t just about giving things away,” he stressed, adding that difficult decisions must sometimes be taken and properly explained to the public.Caruana revealed that the upcoming Budget will contain a substantial number of measures addressing issues he believes should have been tackled years ago.When asked whether people could feel the impact as a result of these decisions, the Finance Minister did not rule out the possibility that certain groups could be affected.However, he argued that even when measures impact particular sections of society, people should be able to recognise their fairness and understand why they are necessary.He also emphasised the importance of social justice in shaping these decisions.While Caruana stopped short of revealing specific measures, his comments suggest that the upcoming Budget could mark a shift towards policy reforms and decisions that may prove less popular than the financial incentives announced in previous years.What do you think Caruana is hinting at?•