Government has yesterday evening enacted a series of legal notices bringing into force a number of changes required by the exceptional circumstances of the spreading of the coronavirus in Malta. The key changes are as follows.
EDUCATION
Schools will remain close until further notice. Through a press statement on Wednesday, Government further clarified that this will apply until the end of the Easter Holidays.
As things stand, students would be back behind their desks on 20th April.
OPENING OF ESTABLISHMENTS
The establishments that are to be kept shut until further notice are all bars, restaurants, cafeterias, snack bars, cinemas, gymnasiums, museums, exhibitions, clubs, discotheques, night clubs, open-air markets, indoor swimming pools, national swimming pool, gaming premises including controlled gaming premises, bingo halls, casinos, gaming parlours, lotto booths and betting shops.
Catering establishments may continue to provide delivery and take-away services to their community. Restaurants situated in hotels can continue to provide room service and delivery.
LOCAL OPEN AIR MARKETS (Is-Suq / Il-Monti)
The placement of stalls in open air markets has been suspended with the exception of stalls that sell food products. These are required to be placed at a distance of twenty metres from each other.
NOTARIAL OBLIGATIONS
Government has formalized the suspension of deadlines imposed on notaries when registering public documents such as contracts and promise of sale agreements. This also covers the payment of taxes collected by notaries.
Closure of Schools (Extension of Period of Closure) Order, 2020
http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=30004&l=1
Closure of Places Open to the Public Order, 2020
http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=30003&l=1
Suspension of Legal Times relating to Promise of Sale Agreements, Notarial and other related matters (Epidemics and Infectious Disease) Order, 2020
http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=30002&l=1
Issue of Permits by Local Councils Regulations, 2020 (no open market / stalls – except for food stalls at a 20m distance)
http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=30001&l=1
Granting of an Emergency Licence in Exceptional Circumstances Regulations, 2020 (granting of an emergency license to provide a social welfare service)
http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lp&itemid=30000&l=1
