Malta News Briefing

Malta: Credit agency reaffirms top rating

It-Torċa says that DBRS credit rating agency maintained Malta’s A high ranking, suggesting that the effects of the FATF greylisting could be mitigated if planned reforms in anti-money laundering are…

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Malta: Equality Minister pledges to reform cannabis law

The Independent on Sunday speaks with Minister Owen Bonnici who has been newly tasked with the Equalities portfolio. Bonnici said that cannabis use reform will be his top priority in…

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Malta: PN set to change secretary general

The Sunday Times says that PN secretary general Francis Zammit Dimech will not recontest the post in an election this week. Meanwhile, sources told the paper that the party leadership…

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Malta: Popular support for vaccine-only travel policy

Malta Today says that 96 per cent of respondents in a survey agreed that only fully vaccinated tourists should be allowed into Malta. The study was conducted before the measure…

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Malta: Three crime victims a day seek agency support

L-Orizzont says that the Victim Support Agency received three requests for help every day since it was established in April. Agency CEO Brian Farrugia said that the most common crimes…

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Malta: Spike in Covid-19 cases

In-Nazzjon says that active Covid-19 cases rose to 252 by Friday after three days of increases. The PN is calling for more screening of inbound tourists, including offering PCR tests…

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Malta: Businesses bracing for grey-list impact

The Times quotes survey findings by the Employers’ Association that nine of ten businesses expect an adverse impact on the economy in the wake of the FATF grey-listing. More than…

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Malta: All visitors must present vaccine certificates from Wednesday

The Independent quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who announced a government decision that all arriving visitors will need to present a vaccine certificate from Wednesday. He said Malta will be…

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Malta: PN Leader says country faces historical moment

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech that the FATF grey-listing is a historical moment that calls for a unified effort to restore the country’s reputation. He was addressing a national…

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Malta: Organizations want new minister to change stance on prostitution reform

The Independent reports the Coalition on Human Trafficking and Prostitution Reform urged Equality Minister Owen Bonnici to abandon a policy direction adopted by his predecessor Rosianne Cutajar. Read more: https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-07-08/local-news/Coalition-calls-on-Bonnici-to-change-policy-on-prostitution-from-that-adopted-by-Cutajar-6736235028…

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Malta: Foreign students to be offered vaccination

The Times says that the Health Ministry is planning to offer the Covid-19 vaccine to any foreign student staying in Malta for longer than two months. The majority of new…

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Malta: Active Covid-19 cases rise to 159

L-Orizzont reports that 55 new Covid-19 cases have been registered on Thursday, raising the number of active cases to 159. Meanwhile, health authorities said that 367,000 people had at least…

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Malta: Airport releases June figures

The Malta Business Weekly reports that passenger traffic at the airport in June stood at 190,500, a 74 per cent decrease from 2019 levels. The top markets in terms of…

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Malta: PN launches General Council

In-Nazzjon announces the launch of the PN General Council this evening. Unveiling the theme of the conference, Party leader Bernard Grech said that politics should be an instrument to improve…

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Malta: State to offer free medication for Cystic Fibrosis

L-Orizzont says that the government will invest €3 million a year to offer free medication for Cystic Fibrosis approved by the Medicines Authority earlier this year. There are currently 14…

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Malta: Woman charged with killing her partner

The Independent says that a Filipino woman has been charged with wilful homicide of her partner, tampering with evidence, making a false report to the police, and fabricating evidence. She…

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Malta: Increase in transmission of Covid-19 variants

The Times says that Covid-19 cases infected with the Delta variant have risen to ten from two a week ago. Health authorities have also reported two cases of the Alpha…

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Malta: Tourism sector misses June targets

Business Today speaks to the president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association Tony Zahra who said that the tourism sector did not reach its 60 per cent month-per-month growth target…

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Malta: PN demands resignation of MP Rosianne Cutajar

In-Nazzjon covers a PN press event calling on MP Rosianne Cutajar to step down following a damning report by the Standards Commissioner. Spokesperson for good governance Therese Comodini Cachia said…

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Malta: EU Commission to request new state-aid plan for Air Malta

The Times says that the EU Commission is set to reject a proposal by the government to inject €250 million into Air Malta on a five-year term. Sources close to…

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Malta: Court rejects developers’ request to release construction site

L-Orizzont reports that Magistrate Joseph Mifsud turned down a request by MCZMC Developers to release the building site in Ħamrun where a house collapse last year claimed the life of…

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Foundation flags links between 17 Black and Azerbaijani Laundromat

The Independent quotes a statement by the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation that fresh evidence suggests that once-secret company 17 Black received funds from a complex money-laundering scheme known as the…

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Malta: Mintoff daughters disapprove of biographical work

Malta Today says that the daughters of Dom Mintoff, Yana Mintoff and Anne McKenna , criticised a newly-published biography of the former Prime Minister, accusing the author of basing his…

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Malta: Equality brief transferred to Research and Innovation Ministry

In-Nazzjon says that Research and Innovation Minister Owen Bonnici will also pick up the Equality portfolio from Rosianne Cutajar after her suspension from Cabinet was confirmed by the Prime Minister…

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Malta: Environment watchdog says torched land in Xagħra is not protected

The Independent says that the area in Xagħra where a fire broke out last month after fireworks were let off is not a protected zone, but the Environment and Resources…

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Malta: Tax authorities investigating Rosianne Cutajar

The Times reveals that the Inland Revenue Department launched a tax evasion investigation into MP Rosianne Cutajar in the wake of reports that she helped broker a multi-million property deal…

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Malta: Walk-in vaccination centres open in two weeks

L-Orizzont announces that walk-in vaccination centres will open their doors on July 19, allowing anyone to get the jab against Covid-19. Health authorities are aiming to inoculate 85 per cent…

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Malta: Prime Minister confident heading into final year of legislature

L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela that the government will keep building on the foundations of the last years as it enters the final stretch of the legislature. Abela said…

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Malta: More than 100 suspects awaiting trial

The Times says that there are currently 87 pending trials involving more than a hundred suspects. The longest-standing trial was issued in 2007 while another four cases have been pending…

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Malta: PN leader calls for Labour MP’s resignation

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech urging government MP Rosianne Cutajar to step down following accusations of breach of ethics. He said that as long as she held on to…

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Malta: Teens expected to have longer working life than their EU peers

The Independent quotes Eurostat figures predicting that the average number of years in employment for 15-year-olds will be 36.9 years, higher than 35.7 years average expected at an EU level.…

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Malta: Artists vent frustration at Covid-19 measures

Il-Mument reports on a protest by artists outside parliament on Saturday morning expressing anger at restrictions on entertainment events. Protestors said they have been out of work for 15 months…

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Malta: Incoming flights increase by 500 in a month

Kullħadd reports that there were 880 flights to Malta during June, 500 more than the previous month. Industry sources welcomed the results and said that it bodes well ahead of…

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Malta: PL enjoys 13.5 point advantage on PN

It-Torċa publishes survey findings indicating that the Labour Party opened a lead of 13.5 percentage points on the Nationalist Party in voting intentions, securing just under 56 per cent of…

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Malta: Government working on October budget

Illum says that the government is preparing to present a budget in October, reducing the chances of a general election being held this year. Sources close to the administration told…

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Malta: Convicted architects could lose warrant

The Independent on Sunday reports that the Chamber of Architects has reactivated its investigation into the two architects found guilty of involuntary homicide caused by a house collapse last year.…

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Malta: Mrieħel residents fear the worst after excavation works begin

The Sunday Times speaks with residents in Mrieħel worried about excavation works with heavy machinery going on in warehouses directly beneath their homes. They said that the planning permits were…

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Malta: Rosianne Cutajar will not return to the front bench after ethics breach

Malta Today says that MP Rosianne Cutajar will not return to the Cabinet after Standards Commissioner George Hyzler found her in breach of ethics. Prime Minister Robert Abela summoned Cutajar…

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Malta: Scores of Ħamrun Spartans supporters fined for Covid-19 breaches

L-Orizzont reports that the police fined 124 people for breaching Covid-19 rules during the Ħamrun Spartans celebrations on Thursday. A spokesperson for the force said that further investigations are underway…

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Malta: PN slams government for poor consultation on recovery plan

In-Nazzjon covers a PN press conference criticising the government's lack of consultation on the Covid-19 recovery plan. Party spokesperson for NGOs Kevin Cutajar said that the pandemic is hardly mentioned…

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Malta: Standards Commissioner finds government MP in breach of ethics

The Independent says that government MP Rosianne Cutajar has been found in breach of ethics by the Commissioner for Standards over a property deal involving Yorgen Fenech. Earlier this year,…

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Malta: Woman arrested on suspicion of homicide

The Times reports on the murder of a man from the Philippines in Mellieħa on the night between Thursday and Friday. A woman, also from the Philippines, alerted the police…

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Malta: Opposition spurns government’s recovery plan

In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Bernard Grech who said that the economic recovery plan does not satisfy the country’s needs and urged the government to launch a two-week consultation process to…

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Malta: Opposition spurns government’s recovery plan

In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Bernard Grech that the economic recovery plan does not satisfy the country’s needs and urged the government to launch a two-week consultation process to review its…

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Malta: NGO claims migrant boat was attacked in Maltese SAR

The Times says that a migrant rescue NGO released footage from an aircraft showing Libyan coastguard officers shooting at and trying to ram into a boat carrying 45 asylum seekers.…

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Malta: Health authorities accepting UK digital Covid-19 certificates

The Independent reports that Malta is now accepting the UK digital vaccine certificates generated by the NHS app. The Health Ministry said that airlines and health officials will be able…

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Malta: Architects found guilty of involuntary murder

L-Orizzont reports that two architects have been found guilty of the involuntary murder of Miriam Pace who died when her house collapsed in March last year. Magistrate Joseph Mifsud handed…

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Malta: More than 2,200 people accused of social benefit fraud since 2018

The Times reports that over 2,200 people had their social benefits suspended by the Benefit Fraud Investigation Department since 2018, saving the government some €7 million in the process. The…

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Malta: Prime Minister says he cannot justify Panama Papers

The Independent quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela that he cannot justify the Panama Papers but said that systemic failures predate Labour’s election in 2013. Asked about his predecessor, he said…

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Malta: British High Commissioner says safe-travel list introduces new rules

The Malta Business Weekly speaks with British High Commissioner Cathy Ward about the travel requirements between the UK and Malta. The Commissioner warned that the Covid-19 green listing places new…

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Malta: Bernard Grech urges social partners to participate in national effort

In-Nazzjon covers an address by PN Leader Bernard Grech to the Council for Economic and Social Development. He said that no entity can take Malta out of the FATF grey…

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Malta: Government presents post-pandemic strategy

L-Orizzont reports the launch of the national post-Covid strategy focusing on twelve areas of action. The Minister for Research and Innovation, Owen Bonnici, said that the plan will prepare Malta…

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Malta: PN Leader in urgent meeting with social partners

In-Nazzjon says the PN Leader Bernard Grech is holding an urgent meeting with the council of economic and social development to discuss the FATF greylisting. Grech said that politicians and…

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Malta: Degiorgio brothers write to Europol chiefs

The Times says that murder suspects Alfred and George Degiorgio have requested a meeting with Europol senior officers. The brothers were directed to the EU’s law enforcement agency by EU…

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Malta: Police unable to locate man with arrest warrant

L-Orizzont reports that a man with an arrest warrant for skipping on maintenance to his wife and children did not turn up in court on Monday. The police said that…

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Malta: Asylum applications fell by almost 40% last year

The Independent reports that Malta received just under 2,500 asylum applications in 2020, 39 per cent fewer than the year before. A report by the European Asylum Support Office, however,…

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Malta: Police perform well in FATF test

Malta Today speaks with Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà who said that the force did well in the FATF assessment. Acknowledging room for improvement, the Commissioner noted that the Police are…

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