Updated 1350 – Hillman granted bail over charges of financial crime: Former Allied Group managing director Adrian Hillman granted bail. His bail was secured by a €50,000 deposit and €100,000 personal guarantee. He was charged with financial crimes today after he was extradited from the UK to Malta where he was immediately interrogated by the Police’s Economic Crime Unit. He was charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit a crime, defrauding Progress Press, making fraudulent gain, making a false declaration to a public authority and accepting bribes as a managing director of Allied Newspapers and Chairman of Progress Press. He has pleaded not guilty.
Covid-19 Update: Three new COVID-19 cases were reported on Saturday, while two recovered. 2010 swab tests were carried out yesterday, with active cases remaining stable at 67. No deaths were reported.
Elderly homes restrictions to be eased: Restrictions will be eased for visitors to elderly homes from the 4th June, Minister Michael Farrugia said. Visits will be allowed for one hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon, provided that visitors are vaccinated. Elderly relatives and friends, the Minister explained, added, have to observe social distancing and wear a mask. Visitors, who are not inoculated, will visit elderly persons with the current restrictions.
Newspaper Review
L-Orizzont says that parents and teachers have raised concerns about the benchmark exams for students in year six. An educator told the paper that the exams do not consider the upheaval in the last academic year, piling unnecessary pressure on families.
The Times speaks with the chair of the Care Homes Operators, Nathalie Farrugia Briffa, who warned that the mental health of elderly residents in homes is deteriorating quickly as Covid-19 restrictions are kept in force.
The Independent reports that residents and NGOs are appealing the Environment Authority’s approval of the impact assessment of the City Centre project in Pembroke. The Planning Authority board will make its final decision in the coming weeks.
In-Nazzjon says that the PN received a strong response to its call for information from consumers who were overcharged for their utilities. The party is inviting people to register their cases in person today.
The Times reports that Adrian Hillman arrived in Malta on Friday to face charges for money laundering. The former Allied Group managing director was extradited from the UK following an investigation by Malta’s Financial Crimes Department.
The Independent says that the Entertainment Industry and Arts association has submitted a set of proposals to authorities on the reopening of events. Association president Howard Keith Debono hoped for bans to start being lifted from July.
L-Orizzont reports on a new migrant rescue organisation set up by the Eritrean diaspora living in Europe. The NGO, ResQ, is collecting funds to acquire a vessel to carry out missions in the Mediterranean.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that a Nationalist government would introduce a “fairer” tax regime for small companies. Grech was visiting the owners of a family business in Birżebbuġa.
Morning Briefing
12-15-year olds to get vaccine after EU approval
Young people aged between 12 and 15 will get their Pfizer vaccination after the school examination. This was announced on Twitter by DPM Chris Fearne. The vaccine was the first one granted authorization across the European Union when it was licensed for use in anyone 16 and over in December. So far, about 173 million doses of the shot have been administered in the Union. The European regulator (EMA) gave its approval on Friday.
Data from clinical trials “is really showing that the vaccine is highly preventative” for young people, EMA said.
Minister Fearne welcomed this approval as “excellent news”.
Hillmann returns to Malta for interrogation
The Police Unit for Economic Crimes has started its interrogation of Adrian Hillman, the ex-Managing Director of the Allied Newspapers Group. The interrogation began immediately after his arrival in Malta this afternoon after an extradition request issued by local authorities. Hillman is expected to be arraigned in Court and charged with money laundering and corruption. He had been living in London together with his family, close to Goldsmiths University where he had been studying.
Covid-19 Update
Six new cases were reported on Friday, one more than recoveries. These were identified through 2,288 swab tests, with active cases remaining stable at 66. 505,100 persons have now been vaccinated, with more than 200,000 being fully vaccinated.
GDP in Q1 registers small drop
NSO provisional estimates indicate that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2021 amounted to €3,251.8 million, registering a decrease of €17.8 million, or 0.5 per cent, when compared to the same quarter of 2020. In volume terms, GDP fell by 1.8 per cent. The main drivers of this negative growth rate in volume terms were Service activities and industry, with a contribution of -1.4 percentage points and -0.2
percentage points, respectively. Agriculture and fishing and construction had a neutral impact on GDP growth.
CDE News
