Updated 1455 – One coronavirus case is confirmed
The Health Department confirmed one new case of coronavirus throughout the previous 24 hours. Though not specified in the daily update, it is understood that such case is the same one reported Saturday evening, concerning a migrant who was rescued the day before with another 62.
Updated 0844 – Newspaper Review
The Sunday Times reveals that the Attorney General advised the police against sealing Pilatus Bank in Ta’ Xbiex, the night that Daphne Caruana Galizia reported that the secret company Egrant was linked to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Malta Today publishes survey results showing that Therese Comodini Cachia’s current trust rating among PN voters stands at 31 percent, similar to leader Adrian Delia at 32.7 percent. Nationally, both enjoy a rating of 13 percent.
The Independent on Sunday publishes an interview with PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that he would only be prepared to resign if he felt that his leadership was going down ‘the wrong path’. He said pessimistic polls are the result of internal discord.
Illum says that former PN Secretary General Joe Saliba is offering advice to current leader Adrian Delia. The report says that other party veterans are lending a hand amid the leadership crisis.
Il-Mument follows an interview with PN Leader Adrian Delia of 103 Radio where he said that he will continue to take decisions in the best interest of the party. Delia announced that he will reveal fresh proposals to the executive committee on Thursday.
Kullħadd quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia in an interview who said that he finds no problem with a new leadership race but said that a section of MPs would still not accept it if he is re-elected.
It-Torċa quotes Constitutional Law academic Miguel Balzan who said that the President’s decision on the Opposition Leader cannot be challenged before the Constitutional Courts because it would undermine the Presidency and democracy.
Malta Today says that PN members seeking to oust Adrian Delia from leadership are mulling another vote of confidence in the General Council. Two possible courses of action are through a petition signed by 150 members or through a request by the executive committee.
The Sunday Times says that PN Leader Adrian Delia is set to present a ‘concrete plan’ on the way forward in a meeting of the party’s executive committee on Thursday. Sources expect a vote of confidence in the General Council.
Illum reviews that National Auditor’s report on the privatisation of three public hospitals which found a lack of due diligence and poor feasibility processes. The paper says that the concession was entirely ‘in the hands’ of former minister Konrad Mizzi.
The Independent on Sunday carries an interview with PN MP Therese Comodini Cachia who said that it will be difficult for the party to achieve unity with Adrian Delia at the helm, after he lost votes of confidence in the parliamentary group and the executive committee.
Kullħadd quotes figures by the National Statistics Office which show that the value of public entities increased threefold since 2013, with profits amounting to a combined €172 million in seven years.
It-Torċa quotes Eurostat figures on the consumption of electricity from the beginning of the year which show that demand in Maltese households remained stable during the coronavirus months.
Il-Mument says that the government is unwilling to publish advice it received on the construction of the proposed tunnel linking Gozo and Malta.
It-Torċa follows the EU Leaders’ Summit in Brussels where EU Council president Charles Michel presented updated plans for the Covid-19 recovery strategy. The paper says there have been developments, but countries are far from reaching an agreement yet.
Kullħadd says that Infrastructure Malta is using a new type of road asphalt that is more resistant to heavy traffic and to the elements. The material has already been tested on roads in Southern regions.
Morning Briefing
Malta imports two new coronavirus cases
Malta registered two new cases of Covid-19, ending up an eight-day streak of no cases.
The first case has been indicated through the daily social media update provided by the Health Department, and defined to be an imported case, of someone who returned to Malta and developed symptoms. In the brief description, accompanying the info graph, the Ministry of Health said that contact-tracing is underway.
A second coronavirus case, announced later in the day, resulted from a migrant who was among a group of 63 rescued and brought ashore on Friday tested positive upon arrival,. The other 62 people on board all tested negative and are now quarantining in reception centres. They will be re-tested next week. The individual who tested positive was admitted to hospital for treatment.
PN to decide way forward on Thursday, Delia reported to be considering another vote of confidence at General Council
The Nationalist Party will decide on the way forward next Thursday. The Times of Malta this morning reports that PN leader Adrian Delia is understood to be considering another vote of confidence before the general council. “If I don’t win that vote, I am out,” he said. At the same time, he expects rebel MPs to step aside if he is re-confirmed.
The newspaper also speaks to Therese Comodini Cachia, who was indicated by the rebel MPs as their choice of Opposition Leader. She described Delia’s three-year tenure as having been characterised by “bullying, arrogance and bad advice”
Delia re-iterated his claims that a vote at General Council level should not be taken within after two years had elapsed from a first one, but at the same time insisted that he would not object to a new vote “on a technicality”.
MDB supports business liquidity by facilitating loans through local banks
By the end of June, more than 250 businesses and the livelihoods of more than 15,000 employees and their families were provided with a crucial lifeline of €200 million in additional liquidity from local banks backed by the Malta Development Bank COVID-19 Guarantee Scheme.
The MDB Guarantee Scheme covers 90% of each working capital loan to businesses whose cashflow has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. It is therefore providing the necessary backing so that commercial banks can provide otherwise-unavailable working capital loans with reduced collateral requirements, highly subsidised interest rates on loans, as well as a moratorium on repayment of both capital and interest.
CDE News
