Updated 1130
Record-Breaking €857 Million Spent on Social Benefits in First Half of the Year: Social benefit spending in Malta exceeded €857 million in the first half of the year—an 11% rise (€85 million) over the same period in 2024, marking a record high. According to the NSO, the largest increases were in pensions, family benefits, and support for the elderly. Over €650 million was paid to nearly 98,000 pensioners, including bonuses. Non-contributory pensions totalled €11 million, while €10.4 million was given to 13,500 individuals—mostly women—without enough contributions for standard pensions. Family-related benefits rose by €10 million, with major increases in children’s allowances and educational support. Around 97,000 people received a cost-of-living bonus totalling €25 million, up €6 million from last year. (Times of Malta)
Idle Farmland can be Reclaimed by Government Under New Law: Malta’s new Protection of Agricultural Land Regulations will allow the government to take control of unregistered or neglected farmland to combat abandonment and speculative misuse. Landowners must register their land and submit a crop plan within six months of the law’s start. Each plot must be cultivated annually unless part of a recognised rotation scheme. Unclaimed land will be taken over by the state through the Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta agency, but may be returned if ownership is later proven. Advertising agricultural land for non-farming purposes is banned, and inspections will be conducted to ensure compliance. Non-compliance may lead to fines or prosecution. The rules aim to revive farming, protect soil, and boost Malta’s food security and rural landscape. (Maltatoday)
23-Year-Old to Be Arraigned Over Fatal Valletta Waterfront Crash: A 23-year-old man from Paola is to be charged in court in connection with Sunday night’s fatal crash at Barriera Wharf, Valletta Waterfront, which claimed the life of 62-year-old Mildred Azzopardi from Ħamrun. The incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. and involved a Subaru Impreza, allegedly driven by the youth, which crashed into a parked Ford Fiesta. Police said Azzopardi was caught between the two vehicles and died at the scene. A 69-year-old man, also from Ħamrun, who was inside the Ford Fiesta, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Mater Dei Hospital. The Subaru driver was unharmed, but other parked vehicles were damaged in the collision. Police investigations are ongoing, and the man is expected to be formally arraigned in the coming days. (TVM)
Morning Briefing
PM Abela pledges consultation as planning reform faces backlash
Prime Minister Robert Abela has pledged a public consultation on proposed planning law reforms, following criticism from activists, the Opposition and the business community. Speaking outside Parliament, Abela was interrupted by Moviment Graffitti activist Andre Callus, who accused the government of ignoring calls for consultation for two years. Abela said the process was still at an early stage and would include input from civil society. The Malta Chamber of Commerce also slammed the reforms as fragmented and opaque, warning they weaken public participation and bypass a long-overdue review of Malta’s planning strategy. It said the proposed laws would raise barriers to appeals and deter citizens and NGOs from engaging in planning matters. Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg defended the lack of consultation, saying it aimed to prevent land speculation. When asked if developers had been consulted, Abela avoided a direct answer, stating his loyalty lies “with the people wholeheartedly.” (Times of Malta/Maltatoday)
Overpopulation and poor governance top SME concerns
Overpopulation, lack of resources and lack of good governance are the top concerns small and medium-sized businesses want the government to address, according to the SME Barometer for Q2 2025, conducted by the SME Chamber rwith MISCO. The survey gathered responses from 406 businesses across Malta, mainly in retail, import, distribution, wholesale and tourism. The survey also finds that there is ambivalence over government grants and schemes designed to help businesses, with respondents evenly split among those who described themselves as satisfied by the schemes and others who said they were not satisfied. (The Malta Independent)
Y-Plate operators take government to court over inaction
The Light Passenger Operators Association (LPOA) has filed court action against the government, citing widespread abuse and breaches of competition rules in the Y-Plate sector. Representing self-employed taxi operators, the LPOA says the sector has worsened in recent years despite repeated appeals for reform. It accuses the government of ignoring calls for action and enabling a system of abuse through inaction by various ministries and authorities. The association stresses the human impact, noting that “behind each vehicle is a family striving to earn a living.” The LPOA argues the situation reflects a broader systemic failure and calls for an urgent overhaul of the regulatory framework governing Y-Plate operations.
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