PM dismisses claims that young people are leaving Malta
Prime Minister Robert Abela has dismissed claims that young people are leaving Malta, asserting that more are returning each year. “The narrative that young people are leaving Malta is false. Data shows that many who left are coming back,” he said on Wednesday. Abela noted that in 2023 alone, 500 more Maltese and Gozitans returned than those who emigrated. Similarly, national statistics for 2022 revealed that 1,800 Maltese citizens came back to Malta, while fewer than 800 left the islands. He was speaking during a press conference alongside Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, where they unveiled a major reform to regulate foreign workers and tackle exploitation. The Prime Minister also highlighted Malta’s ongoing need for foreign workers due to an ageing population, with more people retiring than entering the workforce. (Times of Malta)
PN says migration policy long overdue
The Nationalist Party described the government’s newly announced labour migration policy reform as “long overdue,” emphasising that the public consultation was a necessary step the PN had been advocating for over the past four years. “This initiative has been delayed for far too long,” the PN stated. “Party Leader Bernard Grech has consistently called for a national conference over the past four years to address the growing population challenges stemming from the influx of foreign workers into Malta.”
Jason Azzopardi retracts allegations against Cabinet Secretary Former MP Jason Azzopardi has retracted all allegations against Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol and issued a written apology, halting libel proceedings initiated by Spagnol. The case stemmed from Facebook posts in which Azzopardi accused Spagnol of soliciting bribes in an alleged ID card racket at state agency Identità. Spagnol filed the lawsuit in July 2024, but Azzopardi’s apology brought the matter to a close before it went to trial. In a letter presented in court on Wednesday, Azzopardi withdrew his claims “in full and without reservations,” stating he had mistakenly confused Spagnol with someone of a similar name. He clarified that Spagnol was not mentioned in a magisterial inquiry request related to the allegations. Azzopardi also emphasised that he had not intended to harm Spagnol’s reputation. (The Malta Independent)
