Updated 1830
The Times of Malta leads with a decision by a judge ruling that the administrative penalties imposed by the Financial Intelligence and Analysis Unit are unconstitutional and in breach of the rights of subject persons to be tried by an independent court.
Maltatoday says that BOV has refused to comment on media reports concerning a €35 million loan to Steward Healthcare and the reported resignation of its Chief Risk Officer.
Newsbook reports that persons who were travelling to Gozo on board the fast ferry had to be evacuated from the vessel, after a huge sound, similar an explosion, was heard, followed by plumes of thick smoke.
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Customers demand action against No Deposit Cars, claim criminal conspiracy: A group of No Deposit Cars customers have called for a police investigation into tax evasion and fraud by the company from where they bought their cars. In a judicial protest filed in court on Thursday, the 26 clients also asked the court to rescind the hire purchase agreements they had signed with the hire purchase company. The clients argued that Borg participated in a criminal conspiracy and forced them to pay more than €1,000 in contraventions. They asked for Borg to be investigated by the police for having “promoted, constituted, organised or financed an organisation with a view to commit criminal offences which are punishable by imprisonment for four years or more.”
Letter had alerted PM of Steward fraud back in 2021 – PN MP: A 14-page letter signed by the Steward Healthcare CEO Armin Ernst in 2021, and addressed to the Prime Minister and State Advocate, shows that he suspected that the concession to VGH to operate three local hospitals was fraudulent. This was revealed in Parliament by PN MP Adrian Delia, who argued that the letters shows that Prime Minister Robert Abela knew that the hospitals’ deal was fraudulent since at least 2021, but continued to defend it. “Recent evidence suggests that the granting of the concession to VGH was, to say the least, improper,” Delia quoted from the letter. “It is not the purpose of this letter to consider and conclude if the award was fraudulent (though there are clear indications that this is the case).”
MFSA publishes ethics probe finding former CEO breached ethics code: An internal ethics probe into former Malta Financial Services Authority CEO Joseph Cuschieri has determined that he infringed both the MFSA’s and the European Central Bank’s guidelines by going on a trip to Las Vegas with businessman Yorgen Fenech. Cuschieri had travelled to Las Vegas on Fenech’s invitation, with the latter covering expenses for their flights and accommodation. The Board also investigated MFSA Legal Counsel Edwina Licari, but she was found clear wrongdoing or unethical behaviour, primarily because she was employed at the MGA at the time of the trip and therefore fell outside the scope of review. The MFSA had sought not to publish the report, and publication was requested by the Data Commissioner on the outcome of a Freedom of Information request, with the authority deciding not to exercise its right to appeal. (Maltaoday)
Morning Briefing
Decouple gas prices from electricity tariffs, Dalli tells EU partners
Minister for Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli insisted with EU partners that the bloc needed to decouple gas prices from electricity prices. During a Council meeting of EU energy ministers held in Brussels, highlighted the need to reform the EU electricity market, as States like Malta are exposed to high electricity prices due to the way the EU electricity market operates, even though the Maltese consumer is protected from fluctuating prices through government measures. The Minister also spoke about the need for delivering a revised market design that ensures price stability and guarantees the security of supply in the long run. (The Malta Independent)
Broadcasting regulator finds PBS guilty of discrimination again
The broachasting regulator has found that the national broadcaster PBS discriminated against the Nationalist Party in its broadcasts on three occasions in the space of five days. The Broadcasting Authority was ruling on five complaints filed by the PN in relation to PBS news bulletins broadcast between February 28 and March 4. It ruled in favour of the complainant in three of those instances but dismissed two other complaints raised by the PN. The regulator concluded that while PBS enjoys editorial discretion, the news items in question concerned a major national controversy and should have been included the Opposition’s position. (Times of Malta)
Industrial prices register 4.59% yearly increase
During February 2023, the industrial producer price index registered an increase of 4.59 per cent when compared to the corresponding month of 2022. Data by the NSO shows that when compared to February 2022, the industrial producer price index increased by 4.59 per cent. Price increases were registered in the consumer goods (9.31 per cent), in the capital goods (9.06 per cent) and in the intermediate goods (1.32 per cent). Industrial producer prices for the domestic market increased by 3.80 per cent while non-domestic prices increased by 5.12 per cent.
