Updated 1333 – No new coronavirus
There were no new coronavirus and no recoveries in the past 24 hours.
Seven cases remain active, while the number of patients who recovered remained at 658.
On Friday, 742 swab tests were carried out, for a total of 106,425.
Updated 0844 – Fitch reaffirms Malta rating at A
Timesofmalta.com reports that credit rating agency Fitch has maintained Malta’s rating at A, but forecasting a contraction of 6.9% this year, that’s 1% more than its April review. This discrepancy is attributed to declining exports.
Updated 0840 – Newspaper Review
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that he will continue to carry out his responsibilities as Opposition Leader as mandated by the party statute and the PN paid-up members.
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 the paper he backed Therese Comodini Cachia for Opposition Leader.
The Independent quotes sources within the Nationalist Party who said that the parliamentary group sought to reconcile differences but MPs on the two sides of the argument were too stubborn to find an agreement.
L-Orizzont says that PN supporters are opposed over whether Adrian Delia should step down after losing the confidence of his parliamentary group, or whether the MPs who voted against him should themselves leave the party.
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.
The Times says that three experts on constitutional law rejected arguments by Adrian Delia that the roles of the party leader in opposition and that of the Opposition Leader must automatically be occupied by the same person.
In-Nazzjon says that the 19 members of the PN parliamentary group who withdrew their support of Adrian Delia in a vote of confidence this week have rallied behind Therese Comodini Cachia as a new Opposition Leader.
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 reduce waste.
Morning briefing
The future of the Nationalist Party remained in the balance yesterday evening as President of the Republic Dr George Vella spent a significant part of his day yesterday meeting with Opposition Members of Parliament in the wake of a vote of no confidence in PN Leader Adrian Delia.
Elements of the Nationalist Party sought to express doubts on the constitutional right of the President of the Republic to appoint another Leader of the Opposition. However, three constitutional experts, Judge Giovanni Bonello, lawyer Austin Bencini and professor Kevin Aquilina, refuted these claims – who were also repeated by PN leader Delia – insisting that the Constitution allowed for the splitting of the roles of a party and an Opposition leader.
Sections of the media had also reported that not all 19 PN MPs who expressed a vote of no confidence on Tuesday re-iterated this position with Dr Vella, but a statement by the group yesterday evening sought to re-assure a unified position by this bloc. This group had on Thursday, nominated former MEP and human rights lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia, as Opposition leader. In their statement, they re-iterated a number of reasons for which they believed Delia has to resign.
The news from Tal-Pieta’ out-shadowed new concerning revelations from the Caruana Galizia inquiry. The court yesterday heard how Ian Abdilla, an ex-Assistant Commissioner, testified that the tax firm Nexia BT had an office at the Justice Ministry. Abdilla defended his position that there was no need to investigate and seize Nexia’s servers when the Panama Papers were revealed.
CDE News
