Updated 1455 – One new coronavirus case, two recoveries
The Health Department announced one new coronavirus case today, defined as a close contact to a previously reported case.
Two persons have recovered during the same timeframe, meaning that active cases have gone down back to four.
Updated 0803 -Newspaper Review
The Times publishes an interview with Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Mark Schapiro, who said that there is still a slim chance for Malta to escape grey-listing by Moneyval. He revealed that the US is offering help to the island’s law enforcement authorities.
The Independent carries an inresterview with Occupational Health and Safety Authority CEO Mark Gauci who said that accidents at work are on the decrease despite greater coverage by the media, which give the opposite impression.
L-Orizzont says that police have been alerted to a new method used by migrants to escape the country, by hooking themselves up to the underside of trailers carrying containers to Sicily on the Catamaran.
In-Nazzjon quotes Nationalist Leader Adrian Delia who said that he is more determined to turn the PN into the people’s party following attempts to oust him. Delia said he has nothing on his conscience and that he is committed to the good of the country.
The Independent says that PN Leader Adrian Delia insisted that action will be taken against parliamentary group members who voted against him in a vote of confidence. At the same time, the same MPs reiterated their call for him to resign.
L-Orizzont says that PN MPs seeking to oust leader Adrian Delia are pushing for a vote among the party’s paid-up members. Meanwhile, the paper says Delia is determined to quash these plans.
The Times reports that the Planning Authority has approved 666 permits for developments in Outside Developments Zones in Gozo since the start of 2017. A sixth of the permits issued were in Xagħra, the locality with the most ODZ permits.
EU Summit – Malta disputes method for allocating funds
EU leaders stood at an impasse on Monday after three days of haggling over a plan to revive economies throttled by the COVID-19 pandemic”. While the biggest differences remained on whether assistance should be based on direct grants or loans, Malta raised another issue, PM Robert Abela said yesterday.
It is understood that the EU is focusing the funding criteria on recent unemployment levels in each country and the impact of the pandemic on GDP. The Maltese PM challenged this argumentation, deeming it unfair on those countries which had taken decisive action in the past years to put their house in order. Quoted on the Times of Malta, Abela explained: “We are asking why we should be penalised for having worked hard over the past few years to drastically cut unemployment. And the same goes for our economy – Malta is expected to be the best performer coming out of the pandemic, but the commission should reward and not penalise those countries which have been prudent and are now being successful,” he said.
The latest update from Brussels is available here.
Third PN vote of confidence on the cards
A third vote of confidence is expected to be called shortly withing the Nationalist Party, with Leader Adrian Delia seemingly accepting that he would have to move out if this third vote is lost too. At the same time, he expects rebel MPs to step aside if he is re-confirmed.
Delia said 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”.
Speaking on NET FM yesterday, however, Delia re-iterated his claim that his responsibility at the helm of the party depends on the trust given by paid-up members and that as long as he enjoys this, he will continue to serve the interests of the PN and fight corruption within Government. Referring to the poor showings in surveys, Delia said that such ratings would have been much better without in-fighting in the Party.
Coronavirus updates
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.
CDE News
