Updated 1735- Afternoon Portal Review
Maltatoday reports that the MUMN has ordered widespread industrial action as it claims government is ignoring pleas for a decent sectoral agreement.
The Times of Malta reveals that Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar did not list the existence of her “extra” job as an ITS consultant in her mandatory financial declarations to parliament for 2019.
The Malta Independent says government has purchased six band clubs facing the threat of eviction for the total cost of €6 million, with Culture Minister Owen Bonnici stating that the action will safeguard musical societies for the future.
TVM reports that a 36 year old man from Bormla has been condemned to 2 years in prison after being found guilty of injuring a man by pushing him down the stairs.
Updated 1230
Maltese MEPs lament lack of Maltese interpretation at EP
MEPs Alex Agius Saliba and David Casa have protested about a lack of translators of Maltese at European Union meetings, insisting that the situation is “unacceptable.” The Labour MEP described the lack of interpreters as “discrimination against the Maltese language,” saying that he would not accept to speak in English in other occasions. Fellow MEP David Casa (PN) joined Agius Saliba in denouncing the lack of interpretation at the committee meeting. “The Maltese language is an official language of the European Union, just as French or German or Slovak or Greek. Maltese interpretation should be available in such meetings,” Casa said. (Times of Malta)
Alert on fake Malta-Italy tickets
As Malta prepares to host European Champions Italy this Sunday, attention has been drawn to an increase in online sale of fake tickets.
Although the game is sold out, reports indicate that people asking for tickets on social media pages dedicated to Maltese football are being contacted by fake profiles, mostly under foreign sounding names, offering tickets for Sunday’s game. Some of the fake profiles are advertising their tickets on Facebook pages such as Football in Malta. (Newsbook)
Cutajar-Fenech Whatsapp exchanges: Relationship had ugly repercussions, PN says
The PN said that messages exchanged between Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar and Yorgen Fenech uncover an intimate relationship between a politician and a businessman, which, the PN said, has ugly repercussions. Opposition MP Claudette Buttigieg said that it is unfathomable how the Prime Minister has declared this a closed case, when in these exchanges they had even mentioned people like ex Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and ex Chief of Staff Keith Schembri. PN MP Buttigieg referred to gifts which Cutajar allegedly received, including €9,000 in cash and a handbag which costs thousands of euros. (TVM)
Morning Briefing
58% would not vote for a party that proposed abortion – survey
58% of respondents to a Misco survey revealed that they would not vote for a political party that proposes introducing abortion.
Of these, one-third said that they would vote for another party, another one-third said that they would not vote, and another one-third said that they would simply not vote for this party. The survey also questioned respondents’ interpretation of the recent legal changes pushed forward by Government, with an absolute majority of 59 saying that this bill will effectively introduce abortion in Malta. (The Malta Independent)
Farmer dies after incident with plough
An elderly farmer lost his life after suffering grievous foot injuries when he got trapped by a mechanical plough in a field near Mġarr on Thursday. The 69-year-old Mġarr farmer was assisted by rescuers from the Civil Protection Department and an ambulance team before being hospitalised. However, he succumbed to his injuries soon after. (Times of Malta)
PM Abela heads to Brussels for crunch EU summit
Prime Minister Robert Abela is joining other EU leaders for the traditional Spring Summit Brussels at the end of the first quarter. A packed agenda includes speeches by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Ukrainian President Vlodoymyr Zelensky who will be addressing the meeting via video conference. The long-term competitiveness of the bloc and irregular migration are also expected to be the subject of intense discussion during this meet-up of leaders. (TVM)
