Alex Borg Sworn in as Opposition Leader, Calls for Unity Newly elected Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg was sworn in as Opposition leader on Wednesday during a ceremony presided over by President Myriam Spiteri Debono at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta. The Gozitan lawyer, who secured the party leadership three days earlier, took the oath in the presence of his mother Mary Debono Borg, his brother David Borg, his partner Sarah Bajada, PN deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione and PN secretary general Charles Bonello. In his first words as Opposition leader, Borg urged national unity, stating that Malta should “forget about blue and red, and think of red and white”. He emphasised that the country was facing a crucial moment, and that divisions must be put aside in favour of building a better future for the Maltese and Gozitans. Borg thanked his family, the party and the people for their trust as he begins his new constitutional role. (Time of Malta)
Gozo’s Sports and Aquatic Pavilion Officially Inaugurated Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated Gozo’s new Sports and Aquatic Pavilion in Rabat on Wednesday, hailing it as a milestone that will open the island to international sporting events. The complex features Gozo’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool, alongside facilities for basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton, handball, padel and squash. Specialised halls were also constructed for gymnastics, martial arts, table tennis and dance. The inauguration was marked with a synchronised dance performance, highlighting the pavilion’s role in serving both local communities and elite athletes. The government is positioning the facility as a driver for sports tourism, with Abela describing it as a project that “brings additional value to the island of Gozo”. He said it formed part of the wider Regional Strategy for Gozo, aimed at transforming the island into an engine of national prosperity while creating opportunities for sporting, cultural and economic development. (Maltatoday)
Commonwealth Report Flags Malta for Press Freedom Concerns Malta has been singled out in a critical Commonwealth report examining the erosion of press freedom across member states, naming it as having the highest number of strategic lawsuits against journalists per capita in the EU. The report, Who Controls the Narrative? Legal Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in the Commonwealth, published by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative highlights Malta as a case study of how democracies can restrict media while maintaining legal façades. It cites the misuse of civil defamation laws through SLAPPs, alongside allegations of spyware targeting journalists. Outdated colonial-era laws on defamation, sedition and blasphemy were described as tools that governments can weaponise against critics, stifling free expression. The report further documents digital harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists, noting widespread impunity for such attacks. Malta was grouped with the UK as a hub for legal threats undermining press freedom. (Newsbook)
