Malta News Briefing

Malta: Lost VGH agreement handed over to Auditor General

The Independent says that Prime Minister Robert Abela had ordered an agreement between the Muscat administration and Vitals Global Healthcare to be found after an NAO investigation reported that it…

Read More Here

Malta: PN executive holds tense meeting on Tuesday night

L-Orizzont reports on a ‘tense’ PN executive meeting on Tuesday after Adrian Delia was retained as Opposition Leader by the President. The paper says that several people have been engaged…

Read More Here

Malta: President Vella retains Adrian Delia in Opposition Leader role

The Times leads with the decision by President George Vella to retain Adrian Delia as Opposition Leader. A statement by the Office of the President said that the constitutional role…

Read More Here

Malta: Adrian Delia welcomes decision by the President

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia following the President’s decision to keep him in the role of Opposition Leader. Delia said that he will continue to give all his energy…

Read More Here

Malta: Prime Minister orders VGH MoU to be found

The Independent says that Prime Minister Robert Abela ordered the missing Memorandum of Understanding signed between the government and Vitals Global Healthcare to be retrieved, after the National Auditor said…

Read More Here

Malta: Compilation of evidence in 12-year-old murder case begins

L-Orizzont follows the case about the murder of 25-year-old Charlene Farrugia in 2008. Accused John Paul Woods had first admitted to killing her, but then changed his version and blamed…

Read More Here

Malta: Visitors flag lack of social distancing on flights

The Independent quotes incoming passengers who raised concerns over lack of social distancing while traveling to Malta. They said that people were wearing facemasks, but planes were full. Another story…

Read More Here

Malta: EC pushing government for lower-emissions pipeline project

The Times reports that the European Commission is urging Malta to consider changing a proposed natural gas pipeline from Sicily to lower-carbon fuels such as hydrogen or biomethane. Another story…

Read More Here

Malta: St Julian’s fire leaves woman dead

In-Nazzjon reports on the death of a 68-year-old woman after a fire broke out in her residence in St Julian’s on Sunday morning. Investigators believe that Anna Spiteri attempted to…

Read More Here

Malta: PN MPs frustrated by President’s silence

L-Orizzont says that President George Vella has come in for criticism by a section of PN MPs who declared no confidence in Opposition Leader Adrian Delia for the prolonged decision…

Read More Here

Malta: Melvin Theuma was told about Vincent Muscat pardon plea

Malta Today says that self-confessed middleman in the Caruana Galizia murder plot, Melvin Theuma, was informed of a pardon request made by Vincent Muscat, one of the three accused triggermen…

Read More Here

Malta: Delia supporters pushing for expulsion of dissident MPs

The Sunday Times reports that paid-up members of the Nationalist Party are ramping up pressure on the Executive Council for the expulsion of the MPs who voted against Adrian Delia’s…

Read More Here

Malta: MPs say Adrian Delia does not have numbers in General Council

The Independent on Sunday speaks to PN MPs opposing Adrian Delia’s leadership who believe that the party leader does not enjoy majority support in the General Council. They insisted, however,…

Read More Here

Malta: PN Executive Council meeting on Tuesday

Il-Mument announces that the PN’s Executive Council will convene on Tuesday. PN Secretary General Francis Zammit Dimech confirmed that the meeting will discuss this week’s confidence vote in the parliamentary…

Read More Here

Malta: President’s office silent over PN crisis

Illum says that the Office of the President has gone ‘completely silent’ as the Opposition precipitated in an unprecedented constitutional crisis. The paper says that Adrian Delia is left hanging…

Read More Here

Malta: EC anticipates economic recovery by next year

Kullħadd quotes a report by the European Commission which predicts that Malta will be the only EU country to fully recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic by…

Read More Here

Malta: Finance Minister welcomes rating by Fitch

It-Torċa quotes Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who welcomed the ‘stable’ rating by Fitch despite the economic pressures that came with the Covid-19. He said that the result is a sign…

Read More Here

Malta: President Vella meets majority of Opposition MPs

The Times reports that President George Vella spoke with the majority of Opposition MPs asking them whether they had confidence in current leader Adrian Delia. Independent MP Godfrey Farrugia told…

Read More Here

Malta: Adrian Delia says he will not resign from Opposition Leader

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that he will continue to carry out his responsibilities as Opposition Leader as demanded by the party statute. Delia reaffirmed his loyalty…

Read More Here

Malta: Prime Minister rejects claims he discussed Yorgen Fenech with Opposition Leader

The Independent says that Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed reports that he met with Opposition Leader Adrian Delia last week but denied suggestions that they discussed allegations surrounding Yorgen Fenech.…

Read More Here

Malta: Pitkalija reform plan announced by Agriculture Minister

L-Orizzont quotes Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo who announced a reform of the Pitkalija vegetable market. He said that the government is looking to introduce new technology to increase efficiency and…

Read More Here

Malta: Over 20,000 passengers in the first week

The Independent says that there have been 20,000 movements in the first week since the ports were re-opened. Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli said the government is seeking to add…

Read More Here

Home: Increase in bookings with Air Malta

L-Orizzont speaks to an Air Malta representative who said that bookings with the airline are picking up. The spokesperson, however, said that it is too early to predict emerging trends…

Read More Here

Malta: Delia insists nothing has changed

In-Nazzjon follows an address on TV by Adrian Delia who called for people to unite against government corruption. Delia confirmed that he was summoned by President George Vella following a…

Read More Here

Malta: Therese Comodini Cachia nominated for Opposition Leader

The Times leads with the nomination of Therese Comodini Cachia as the Opposition Leader by PN MPs who voted to oust Adrian Delia from the role. President George Vella held…

Read More Here

Malta: Claudio Grech touted as Opposition Leader

Business Today says that PN MP Claudio Grech is the preferred replacement to Adrian Delia among the 19 members of the parliamentary group who voted against the current leader in…

Read More Here

Malta: PN MPs want Adrian Delia to resign voluntarily

The Times says that PN MPs are waiting for leader Adrian Delia to step down voluntarily. If he fails to do so, the parliamentary group is prepared to ask the…

Read More Here

Malta: Prime Minister distinguishes between VGH and Steward agreements

The Independent quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said the government will uphold the National Auditor’s report into the hospital deal with Vitals. He insisted, however, that that agreement is…

Read More Here

Malta: President Vella awaits PN MPs next move

The Malta Business Weekly reports that President George Vella has cleared his major appointments for the day as the crisis within the Opposition continues to unfold. The President is expecting…

Read More Here

Malta: Two-thirds of businesses report dwindling sales

In-Nazzjon says that a third of businesses reported a decrease of more than half in sales compared with last year, while another third said they lost as much 90 percent…

Read More Here

Malta: GWU recognised as Malta Air employees union

L-Orizzont announces that the General Workers Union has been recognised as the major union representing Cabin Crew and Crew Supervisors employed with Malta-based Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air. The paper compares…

Read More Here

Malta: Delia vows to stay on

In-Nazzjon leads with comments by PN Leader Adrian Delia after losing a vote of confidence in the parliamentary group. Delia said he will stick by the choice of party paid…

Read More Here

Malta: NAO says Vitals deal was agreed in advance

Malta Today leads with a report by the National Audit Office which concludes that a multi-million deal to transfer three public hospitals to Vitals was ‘predetermined’. The NAO said that…

Read More Here

Malta: Auditor’s Office blames Konrad Mizzi for VGH fiasco

The Times reports on the findings of a report by the National Audit Office which says that failure in good governance in the deal with Vitals Global Healthcare ‘rests squarely’…

Read More Here

Malta: Economic forecast sees 6 percent decline this year

The Independent quotes a European Commission report which says that Malta’s economy had started to slow down before the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, predicting a 6 percent decline in…

Read More Here

Malta: More than 20,000 arrivals in the first week

L-Orizzont says that more than 20,000 inbound tourists visited Malta in the first week since the reopening of ports. There were 220 flights and 11 trips by catamaran, with the…

Read More Here

Malta-24 – News Briefing – Tuesday 7th July 2020

Updated 1508 - PM meeting with EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy PM Robert Abela is this afternoon meeting with Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for…

Read More Here

Malta: Libyan PM attends migration office inauguration

L-Orizzont reports on the inauguration of an immigration coordination centre by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Libyan counterpart Fayez al-Sarraj. The two countries will cooperate to stem the flow of…

Read More Here

Malta: Attorney General cautioned against retrieval of evidence from Nexia BT servers

The Times reveals that Attorney General Peter Grech advised against steps by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit to seize Nexia BT’s servers in the wake of the Panama Papers revelations…

Read More Here

Malta: Robert Abela hails Malta-Libya relationship

The Independent quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who, during a visit by Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj said that Malta considers Libya its friend. Abela announced that the countries would…

Read More Here

Malta: Air Malta employees flag unequal treatment

In-Nazzjon says that Air Malta employees are complaining about preferential treatment towards some colleagues at a time when the company is downsizing its staff and cutting back on employment benefits.…

Read More Here

Malta: Migrants kept at sea aboard livestock carrier

The Times speaks to the captain of the ship carrying migrants that was ordered to moor in Maltese territorial waters while the government negotiates relocation with EU partners. The captain…

Read More Here

Malta: Coronavirus tests surpass 100,000

L-Orizzont says that there have now been more than 100,000 swab tests for Covid-19 since March. There are currently 11 active cases from a total 672 registered infections which saw…

Read More Here

Malta: Adrian Delia says he will not cave in to government attacks

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that media reports about WhatsApp chats between himself and Yorgen Fenech were a government tactic. He said he will not be silenced…

Read More Here

Malta: PN Leader denies exchanges with Yorgen Fenech

The Independent quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who says that messages between him and businessman Yorgen Fenech published by The Sunday Times are fake. He challenged the paper to publish…

Read More Here

Malta: Yorgen Fenech offered to spill the beans on Macbridge

Malta Today says that Yorgen Fenech told police he was prepared to reveal information about secret company Macbridge which, along with his own 17 Black, was listed as a target…

Read More Here

Malta: Messages between Yorgen Fenech and Adrian Delia surface

The Sunday Times reveals a series of messages between business Yorgen Fenech and PN Leader Adrian Delia sent in 2019. The paper says it was always Fenech who started the…

Read More Here

Malta: Financial industry concerned about upcoming Moneyval deadline

The Independent on Sunday speaks to practitioners in the financial services industry who were skeptical of claims by the Prime Minister that Malta would pass the Moneyval test easily. The…

Read More Here

Malta: GWU calls for more flexibility in the workplace

It-Torċa quotes General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja who said that a new legislative framework is necessary to provide more flexibility to industrial relations. He said the Covid-19 emergency…

Read More Here

Malta: Bank deposits increase by half a million during pandemic

Kullħadd quotes figures released by the Central Bank showing that household deposits in banks reached €13.7 billion by May, rising by €500,000 since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in…

Read More Here

Malta-24 – News Briefing – Sunday 14th June 2020

Updated 1409 MHRA welcomes full re-opening of airport In a statement, the hotels and restaurants lobby group welcomed the news that Malta's airport to all international destinations will resume operations…

Read More Here