Updated 1230 – Five new cases of coronavirus
For the second day running, Malta added five new coronavirus cases from 1121 tests.
There were no recoveries, meaning active cases have now gone up to 36, a third of which in the past three days. Health authorities said that one person had been admitted to ITU.
In all, a total of 645 persons have been infected so far.
Updated 0951 – News coverage
The Times reports on the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech who, in an audio recording by state witness Melvin Fenech, was heard saying he hoped former assistant police commissioner Silvio Valletta would keep his role.
In-Nazzjon follows the testimony in court of state witness Melvin Theuma who said that one of the suspected triggermen in the Caruana Galizia assassination had received money from PL deputy leader Chris Cardona.
The Independent publishes an interview with Economy Minister Silvio Schembri who responded to criticism that the economic regeneration plan does not address household needs by arguing that saving means jobs protecting families.
L-Orizzont speaks to university lecturer Simon Mercieca who warned against rising racism in Malta. Professor Andrew Azzopardi said there is a danger the prejudice and discrimination may become institutionalised.
The Times quotes Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who called a criminal investigation into funds used for social media spend by the Cabinet member ‘a farce’. The minister insisted that he never used public money on his personal Facebook account.
The Independent follows a press conference by Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli who revealed that talks with another five potential travel destinations to and from Malta are at an advanced stage.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the government is not providing the necessary information regarding the situation at Air Malta. Delia said that the opposition is not satisfied with the restructuring of the national airline.
L-Orizzont reports on a court decision ordering the compensation of €160,000 by a drugs dealer to the parents of a man who died from a heroin overdose in 1999. The victim was 21-years-old at the time.
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Malta is expected to refuse pressure to re-open travel as from the beginning of July, even though the European Commission has made the case for an earlier easing of this restriction around the continent.
In an interview on Euronews, Ylva Johansson, the Home Affairs Commissioner pushed for an opening of the borders by next week, an argument she was expected to insist on during a videoconference of European interior ministers.
However, the Maltese Government seems determined to wait for another couple of weeks. Speaking to timesofmalta.com, Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia confirmed that the date will not be changed.
“We were also part of these discussions and were in constant dialogue with the EU about travel restrictions and, together with the health authorities, have been observing how the situation has unfolded internationally. “At the end of the day we didn’t wait for the EU to tell us to close our ports, so when we made that decision there wasn’t that sort of input on a European level.”
