Updated 1233 – No new cases of coronavirus
Malta is fast approaching Covid-free status, with three persons recovering during the past 24 hours. As there were no new cases during the same time frame, the number of active cases has now gone down to 13.
Updated 0914 – Newspaper Review
The Malta Business Weekly reports on the arrival of the first commercial flight in Malta since the airport was shut down in March. More than 80 flights are expected this week, carrying 1,300 visitors on the first day.
The Independent says that Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli and Economy Minister Silvio Schembri welcomed the passengers aboard the first Air Malta touch-down in Malta since flights were suspended.
Business Today says that the ports have reopened after the Covid-19 shutdown, but the first cruise liner passengers are not expected to arrive in Malta before mid-August.
L-Orizzont quotes Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli who said that the reopening of the airport is vital for thousands of jobs in the tourism sector. The paper says that special measures are in place to detect any virus cases among passengers.
The Times follows the Caruana Galizia public inquiry during which former police assistant commissioner Ian Abdilla failed to reply when asked about reasons why Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi were not investigated for their involvement in the Panama Papers.
In-Nazzjon quotes Judge Joseph Said Pullicino who asked former Economic Crimes Unit Head Ian Refalo whether he was instructed in writing by the Attorney General that Panama Papers investigations would create unrest in the country.
L-Orizzont carries a statement by Attorney General Peter Grech who rejected claims that he had ordered the police to ‘tread carefully’ in their Panama Papers investigations and accused PN MP Jason Azzopardi of spreading lies.
The Malta Business Weekly quotes Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi who called for the Attorney General’s resignation following revelations in court that he had advised the police to ‘go slow’ on the Panama Papers investigations.
The Independent reports that Satabank has had its licence withdrawn by the European Central Bank on recommendation of the Malta Financial Services Authority, Satabank has been under charge of Ernst & Young since October 2018.
Business Today reports that retail business is struggling to survive, and some workers have already been laid off. Business in Valletta is down to around 15 percent of last year while retailers in Sliema report a 60 percent drop in sales.
The Times says that migrants have been evicted from the open centres to make room for newly arrived asylum seekers. Human rights foundation Aditus reports that many of the evicted are sleeping rough.
In-Nazzjon picks up comments by Employers’ Association president Doris Sammut Bonnici who said that Malta should never have found itself risking grey-listing by Moneyvay. She warned that the consequences would be as devastating as the Covid-19 crisis.
L-Orizzont quotes government whip Glenn Bedingfield who questioned links by MPs on the opposition side with businessman Yorgen Fenech. Bedingfield asked who in the PN turned to Fenech for a conference room or held events at his property.
Malta’s July kicked off with rising temperatures, not only in weather terms but also in view of political, judicial and regulatory developments. Yesterday also saw the return of the first tourists in Malta after three months.
The public inquiry related to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia had some tense moments when former Economic Crimes Unit chief Ian Abdilla took the witness stand. Abdilla, to the shock of the Board, revealed that, Attorney General Peter Grech warned police to “thread carefully” on the Panama Papers in order to avoid unrest in the country. Opposition Leader Adrian Delia demanded that Grech should “not only resign but be investigated for crimes against the nation”.
In a two-line statement, the Attorney General called this statement an “outright lie and calumny”
In a parallel development related to the murder, Prime Minister Abela reacted to claims that a number of Ministers had different forms of relationship with alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech. In comments to the media he said that friendships before murder charge were not a problem but insisted that ministers who had some form of relationship to stay out of Cabinet discussions that may deal with a pardon request
In other developments, Satabank’s banking licence has been withdrawn by the European Central Bank after a saga lasting almost two years after all its bank accounts were frozen for alleged money laundering breaches. All the bank’s 12,000 accounts had been frozen by the MFSA two years ago and since then at least 300 reports of suspicious transactions at this bank were flagged by EY, the bank’s administrators. These transactions topped €130 million.
Covid-19 Update
Seven people recovered from the virus yesterday, with just one new cases. Active cases have gone down to below 20.
The COVID-19 situation in Malta now appears to be under control with several days of low or zero cases reported, the Superintendence of Public Health said.
“This has allowed for the relaxation of most preventive measures in the community, including the gradual re-opening of our borders to travel. However, it is important to keep in mind that the pandemic is not over and will not be so until a vaccine is available; COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, both locally and abroad.”
CDE News
