Updated 1245
Six new coronavirus cases were reported on Friday while ten persons recovered. Active cases now stand at 96.
“There has been a huge impact with the vaccination programme,” Prof Charmaine Gauci said in her weekly briefing. “The fact that there are no deaths this week shows how the vaccine is protecting people, and there has also been a huge impact on hospital administrations.” However, she insisted that the existent restrictive measures should remain in place, including a ban on mass events.
“We announce dates every 2 weeks, and we work on things step by step, we have announced the dates we can give,” she argued. “We must remember that the pandemic can affect many things and we are constantly evaluating the situation.”
Newspaper Review
The Times quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that the PN is working with unnamed criminals to try to oust minister Carmelo Abela. In response, the party in opposition said the minister should be suspended.
The Independent says that the Prime Minister is prepared to take steps if evidence of wrongdoing by minister Carmelo Abela emerges. Speaking to journalists, Robert Abela said the minister was being targeted by the PN.
In-Nazzjon quotes a PN statement urging the Prime Minister to suspend OPM minister Carmelo Abela after being brought in for questioning by the police. The party said that Robert Abela’s inaction is harming the country’s reputation.
L-Orizzont carries an interview with a victim of domestic violence who says her two children have been abducted by their father and taken to Libya four months ago. She has limited contact with her son, but she does not know where her daughter is.
The Independent speaks with a woman evicted from her home two years ago with her two children aged three and five at the time. After multiple appeals for help from the Housing Authority, the family remains homeless.
The Times reports that the rate of new Covid-19 cases stands at 25.26 per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest in the EU for the last 14 days. Malta also has the highest vaccination rate among member states, with 67 per cent of eligible people jabbed.
In-Nazzjon follows a Q&A with PN Leader Bernard Grech who called for government and bank incentives to support first-time home buyers. Grech said that it is becoming more challenging for individuals to buy their property.
L-Orizzont says that the European Parliament criticised the EU Commission and a number of member states for “excessive use” of informal agreements to deal with irregular migration. The report passed with 358 votes in favour and 309 against.
Morning Briefing
PM, PN trade accusations on Minister Carmelo Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela has accused the Nationalist Party of collaborating with criminals as the Party insisted on claims linking OPM Minister Carmelo Abela to a bank robbery. The Minister was questioned at Police HQ earlier this week after Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Alfred Degiorgio alleged his involvement to the police in the 2010 HSBC heist.
Abela said that he would act if any credible link emerged but accused the PN of relying and giving credibility to persons accused with involvement in the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The prime minister said these criminals were trying to buy their freedom.
Reacting, the PN said that “in any normal country, a minister within the Office of the Prime Minister who is being interrogated by the police over allegations linking him to a very serious case will, at least, be suspended from the Cabinet until investigations are concluded. The prime minister’s silence and hesitation is damaging Malta’s reputation. The ball is in his court to take immediate action,” the PN insisted.
Covid-19: Malta with lowest rates
Malta now has the lowest COVID-19 infection and death rates in Europe, after the number of new cases continued to drop in recent weeks.
The details emerged from fresh weekly data issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The report provides an insight into the situation across Europe, with rates worked out from the prior weeks’ figures.
Only two cases were reported yesterday as active cases have gone down to 100.
Vouchers from June 7
Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that a new round of consumer vouchers will soon be mailed to all residents aged over 16.
He said all residents will receive vouchers for a value of €100, of which €60 can be used in restaurants and tourist establishments with the remaining amount being allocated for use in retail and beauty outlets.
Abela said that the government was proceeding with caution in its easing of the COVID-19 restrictions to safeguard public health and good economic activity, particularly during the summer.
The vouchers can be used from 7th June, a public holiday.
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said that people will either be able to receive their vouchers by post or download them digitally.
The vouchers can be downloaded digitally from the website wallet.vouchersmimcol.com up until 4 June.
