Latest update
Times of Malta says that lawyers who have been assisting Konrad Mizzi in libel proceedings filed against Daphne Caruana Galizia seven years ago over claims that he was having an affair with his communications coordinator have formally renounced their brief.
MaltaToday says that Health Minister Chris Fearne will wait for the outcome of a magisterial inquiry and a court case before passing judgement on the Vitals hospitals deal that is mired in corruption claims.
Newsbook says that Excavation and demolition works are no longer permissible after 4pm
TVM says that a Syrian man, aged 31, is in danger of dying after he was involved in a fight with two other men, a Libyan man aged 31 and a Somalian man, aged 30, early this morning. The condition of the two other men is not yet known.
Updated 1245 – Mid-Day Briefing
Covid-19 Update: 27 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Malta, while 15 patients recovered overnight, health authorities said today. Active cases now stand at 381, although only eleven patients require hospital treatment. Just over 59,000 persons have already received their booster doses.
Ombudsman rules against police on promotions again: Another investigation by the Ombudsman into the 2016 process through which the police force handed out promotions to the post of assistant commissioner confirmed that the process was vitiated and defective. Ombudsman Anthony Mifsud once again pointed fingers at former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar who led the selection committee, noting how it was clear that he was responsible for the decision to favour certain individuals over others was fand chose people on the basis of personal trust. Mifsud was ruling on a complaint filed by former superintendent Simon Galea.
Gozo to have airstrip for small planes: Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri said in parliament that Gozo will be getting a much-awaited airstrip which would be able to handle up to 11-seater aircraft. There is currently no air link between the islands. Camilleri said that the operating model used for the fast ferry service would be adopted for the introduction of an airlink service, noting that interest had already been expressed by potential operators. He added that the facility could be used by schools of flying and firms involved in the production and testing of drones.
Morning Briefing
Payments to Muscat lead to calls for investigation, former PM says all work above board
Former PM Joseph Muscat was the subject of controversy on Sunday after The Times of Malta reported that he was paid thousands of euros by a firm linked to the controversial hospitals deal, Speaking on the Nationalist Party’s NET radio, PN Leader Bernard Grech said Muscat has a lot to explain and the House must demand he answers. Grech also criticised government MPs in the Labour Party’s parliamentary group for failing to condemn Konrad Mizzi for his actions towards parliament’s public accounts committee. Writing on Facebook, Muscat said that the payments were for ‘documented work’ that was carried out after his resignation from the post of PM. However, two former partners of the Pakistani lawyer behind the payments to Muscat had also raised concern about the activities of the businessman.
Surveys shows trust in leaders increased after Budget 2022
A survey carried by It-Torċa shows that PM Robert Abela registered an increase in support after the Budget. He has a trust rating of 52.5% compared to 27% for Bernard Grech. Meanwhile, MaltaToday reports that according to its latest survey, both the PN’s and Bernard Grech’s voting numbers were on an upward trajectory in the post-Budget period. Support for Labour was unchanged at 43.3% but support for the PN rose three points to 29.8%. Robert Abela’s trust rating remained unchanged at 48.9%.
Covid-19 Update
The number of new Covid-19 cases rose to 50 on Sunday as a recent upward trend continued. 11 are hospitalised while three are in intensive care. Active cases stand at 369.
