1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says Prosecutors have filed a bill of indictment against alleged murderer Daniel Muka, just one week before he would have become automatically eligible for bail.
MaltaToday says It was a speeding ticket which brought an end to Ryan Schembri’s eight-year stint on the run.
Newsbook says Johann Buttigieg is set to resign as Malta Tourism Authority chief executive, the tourism minister said on Friday.
TVM says the dead man who was pulled out of the sea at Marsaxlokk has been identified.
Updated 1245 – Mid-Day Briefing
Most Covid-19 restrictions, including masks, removed by May
Health authorities have announced that most Covid-19 restrictions will be removed as from next month, with masks being required only on flights, in hospital and elderly homes. Tourism will be facilitated further as there will also be no need to present a Passenger Locator Form when travelling to Malta while weddings and all other social activities will be able to resume as normal.
In a press conference this morning, Deputy PM Chris Fearne revealed that there were 88 people with COVID-19 in hospital, 39 of whom are being treated for the virus with others being treated for other conditions but testing positive upon admission. Two are in the intensive treatment unit. “This number has been like this for months, even when the numbers in community went up,” Fearne said. “The vaccine is effective when it comes to complications because even when the number of new cases spiked, the cases in ITU stayed low,” the Minister said. People living in the same house with a positive person will not need to isolate themselves but will be recommended to carry out a rapid test after three days that the positive case is notified.
Ryan Schembri of ‘More’ supermarkets fame arrested
The owner of the More Supermarkets chain Ryan Schembri has been arrested in Scotland, according to media reports. Schembri had fled the country some eight years ago with a reported €40 million in debts left behind from the More Supermarkets crash. He was arrested on an arrest warrant issued by Interpol years ago. Maltese police were in Scotland for the arrest. Schembri, who is the cousin of former PM’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, is expected to face charges of money laundering, apart from his connection to the supermarket debt that is connected to the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop.
Deficit reaches 8%
In 2021, the General Government registered a deficit of €1,161.7 million, equivalent to 8% of GDP. The General Government debt amounted to €8,284.4 million or 57% of GDP, the NSO said today.The deficit of General Government for 2021 amounted to €1,161.7 million, an improvement of €76.0 million over the deficit recorded in the previous year. The balance is calculated as the difference between total revenue (€5,453.3 million) and expenditure (€6,614.9 million) of General Government. Debt levels increased by €1,305.9 million over 2020 and stood at €8.28 billion. The debt-to-GDP ratio for 2021 rose to 57% from 53.4% the year before.
Morning Briefing
EP Budget Committee greenlights Hyzler’s nomination
The European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control has green-lighted Malta’s nomination of George Hyzler to serve as a member of the Court of Auditors. Hzyler, who is the outgoing Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, gave a presentation in which he spoke about his credentials and his wishes for the court and replied to varies questions, with a number of MEP’s highlighting a number of cases which have in recent years dented Malta’s reputation. 25 of 28 Members voted in favour of the ex-PN MP, two voted against and one abstained. His nomination will now to clear the full EP plenary. (Times of Malta)
PN executive details leadership race procedures
The Nationalist Party’s executive committee unanimously agreed on the procedures surrounding its leadership race. In a statement, the PN said that “the process begins next Sunday with the first session of the General Council to be held at the Nationalist Party’s headquarters”. Current leader Bernard Grech is the only person to announce that he will be contesting the leadership. If he remains uncontested, a simple majority in the PN’s general council will be enough for him to secure a second term. (Maltatoday)
Church schools ‘encourage’ use of mask
Church schools have issued a statement encouraging the use of masks after the health authorities published their updated coronavirus guidelines for the education sector on Thursday. In a statement, the Church schools said they consider the use of masks as necessary for the wellbeing of their community and their sustained operation will be notifying parents and staff members accordingly. “Students and staff in all Church schools are encouraged to wear a mask as provided for in the guidelines,” the statement reads, while they reminded that the use of masks is still obligatory on school transport. (Newsbook)
Covid-19 Update: Five people died as a total of 312 new cases were reported overnight. There are currently 5,780 known cases.
80 known cases
