Updated 1730 – Sliema murder: Police make third arrest
A third person allegedly involved in the Sliema double murder was arrested this afternoon in a hotel in Cadiz, Spain, following collaboration between Spanish and Maltese police with Interpol’s support.
Times of Malta reports that at least nine people will be charged for breaking the law after their vehicles were inspected by Żejtun police officers and the Armed Forces of Malta between Friday and Saturday.
Malta Today says that Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne has announced that Malta has been allocated 330,000 doses of a potential vaccine for COVID-19.
Newsbook says that a group of 50 asylum seekers have found themselves in distress in Malta’s search-and-rescue area, but a nearby Armed Forces of Malta vessel has reportedly turned away from their rubber boat.
The Malta Independent reports that a woman was seriously injured on Saturday when she was hit by a car according to the police.
One News reports that the Ministry of Health has just been informed that an 86-year-old woman had died while testing positive for Covid-19.
Net News says that in the last 24 hours, 27 people tested positive for Coronavirus while 58 people recovered. 2,290 swabs tests were performed over the past day.
Updated 1234 – Covid-19 Update
A total of 27 new COVID-19 cases were reported today, while 58 patients recovered. This means that the number of active cases has gone back to below 600 (593).
Health authorities later announced that an 86-year-old woman died after being hospitalised in intensive care.
Meanwhile Health Minister Chris Fearne said that Malta has been allocated 330,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that could potentially start being produced in the coming weeks. On Twitter, Fearne said: “If a COVID-19 vaccine is developed in the coming weeks, Malta has already been allocated 330,000 doses. This means we will be one of the first countries to protect vulnerable people and frontliners. We will later acquire more doses for the whole population.”
Updated 0822 – Newspaper Review
The Independent reports that the police have arrested a second man in connection with the Sliema double murder. The 36-year-old was caught at a hotel in Gżira and was apprehended after attempting to flee.
In-Nazzjon says that Viktor Dragomanski pleaded not guilty to charges that he was involved in the Sliema double murder. The police moved in on the man after identifying him from CCTV footage.
The Times says that investigators believe that it was Daniel Muka who pulled the trigger on Chris Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejovski last week. Sources said that the police are treating the case as a theft.
L-Orizzont reports that the police have issued a European arrest warrant to trace and extradite the third suspect in the Sliema double murder, who is believed to have fled to a Schengen-area country.
In-Nazzjon says that investigators have identified a third man involved in the murder of Chris Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejovski, but he has left Malta for Spain before the police could arrest him.
The Times quotes Economy Minister Silvio Schembri who said that the government is assessing the impact of the voucher system, hinting that another round is being considered. The minister said that the feedback from businesses was positive.
The Independent quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who said that the latest Covid-19 containment measures are effective and that the average number of new cases has dropped since they were introduced.
L-Orizzont quotes a paediatrician who recommends the vaccination of children against the flu and says that similar measures are being taken in Scotland to protect children and relieve the health system from pressure.
In-Nazzjon quotes Nationals Statistics Office figures which show a government deficit of over €1 billion in the first seven months of the year. Government revenue, meanwhile, decreased by more than €530 million.
Morning Briefing
Sliema double murder update: A third person suspected in the double murders of Christian Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski has fled Malta to country in the Schengen Area. In a statement, the Police said that they were in the process of applying for a European Arrest Warrant to apprehend the suspect.
The first two suspects, Daniel Muka and Viktor Dragomanski were apprehended Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
PN Leadership: In the first online edition of Xarabank, hosted by LovinMalta after being axed by the national broadcaster last week, PN leadership hopefuls Bernard Grech and Adrian Delia focused on change and unity respectively in their pitch to PN paid-up members.
In an indirect hit at Delia, Grech argued that “the secret to addressing critics is to treat them with respect.” Delia insisted that what the party needed was unity, and recalled that Dr Grech might be a new face, but he’s the chosen representative of the old PN. “People do not want the past, they’re desperate for something new that reflects modern society” he said.
Bernard Grech made his case for change, both at a national and party level, insisting that “I want Maltese to start being proud of being Maltese again. We need to convince the people that we’re an alternative government of integrity that shows institutions are working.”
When questioned about surveys which currently show Grech as favourite for the leadership, Delia said that he was aware of other surveys which were showing different numbers, insisting that people were desperate for an outsider to lead the party and not members of PN’s political past.
Covid-19 in Malta: The trend in coronavirus cases in Malta has started to go down again, said Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci, as a result of new restrictive measures implemented earlier this month. The authorities yesterday reported 32 new cases and 65 recoveries, bring the number of active cases down to 624. In all, Malta has seen 1,820 cases.
Malta’s financial position: Malta’s deficit levels have increased signifcantly in the first seven months of the year, with Government’s consolidated fund exceeding one billion euro in the red (€1,051.8 m) between January and July.
In data published yesterday, the NSO said that revenue registered a 20% drop, with the largest decrease coming from less income tax. Between January and July 2020, total expenditure amounted to €3,158 million, 14.2% higher than the corresponding period in 2019.
Caruana Galizia inquiry: In another lenghty testimony in the inquity, Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Alfred Camilleri appeared to distance himself from recent comments by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, with the latter saying that he and his Ministry were not aware of certain decisions being taken by Government as these were taken by Joseph Muscat’s “kitchen cabinet”.
Camilleri argued that the Ministry was very much in the loop on main projects, indicating that he was not aware of any other body within Government taking such decisions. He recalled specific cases, where he called urgent meetings, such as the one to discuss the news that energy consortium Electrogas had defaulted on a multi-million loan facility guaranteed by the government.
Describing himself as risk-averse, the Permanent Secretary said he was not too happy about the the proposed government guarantee and had discussed the matter with his minister, Edward Scicluna, “who was of like mind.”
CDE News
