Cab Drivers on Minimum Wage Get €4,000 a Month After ‘Adjustments’: Cab drivers at WT Global, Malta’s largest cab fleet, appear to be earning around €4,000 a month despite being on minimum wage contracts, MaltaToday has found. Payslips show a basic €6 hourly rate, with earnings boosted through multiple allowances: food, mobile, fuel reimbursements, and notably a “personal protective equipment” allowance reaching €1,400, pushing fortnightly take-home pay to €2,000. No tax was reportedly paid on these sums. WT Global said the allowance covers vehicle upkeep and cleaning, citing heavy fleet use and client standards. However, industry insiders argue maintenance is the company’s duty, calling the practice a likely tax avoidance scheme. A tax expert also flagged the unusually large allowance as suspicious, warranting further scrutiny. (Maltatoday)
Jason Micallef’s Legal Action Against Podcaster Condemned as ‘Threatening Tactics’: Jason Micallef’s threat of legal action against podcaster Trudy Kerr over her video on Ta’ Qali’s gravelling has been denounced as intimidation. Micallef, head of Ta’ Qali National Park, accused Kerr of spreading “fake news,” but the Momentum Party insisted her video accurately documented the loss of green space. The party condemned Micallef’s “threatening tactics,” filed a Freedom of Information request on the project’s necessity, environmental studies, and contracts, and accused him of trying to silence citizens. The Nationalist Party also condemned Micallef’s actions, expressing solidarity with Kerr and urging Prime Minister Robert Abela to denounce intimidation rather than dismiss the issue as miscommunication. (Times of Malta)
Identity Card Renewals Rolled Out to Local Councils: The government has announced that expiring Maltese identity cards can now be renewed at local council offices, making the process more accessible. Around 160,000 IDs issued a decade ago are due to expire this year; while nearly 120,000 have been renewed, about 72,000 still need updating. The new service, already available in Gozo, expands nationwide alongside the existing renewal option at Identità’s Identity Cards Unit in Blata l-Bajda. However, Gattard House remains the sole venue for cases involving address, surname, or personal detail changes, as well as lost cards, with appointments bookable online. Identity cards are now required for all citizens aged 14 and above.
Morning Briefing
Jesuit report reveals widespread migrant exploitation
A new report by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Malta has revealed widespread exploitation and mistreatment of migrant workers in Malta, warning that legal precarity is leaving many vulnerable to abuse and discrimination. The report documents cases of withheld wages, unfair dismissals, unsafe working conditions, bullying, racism and violations of employment law. Migrants interviewed described living under constant psychological stress, not only from exploitative work environments but also from fear of immigration raids targeting even long-term residents and workers. The report, based on interviews with asylum seekers, rejected asylum seekers, undocumented migrants and third-country nationals on Single Work Permits, paints a picture of how Malta’s shadow economy enables systemic abuse. Many participants spoke of being trapped between exploitative employers and immigration systems that deny them basic protections. (Times of Malta)
PM rules out reintroduction of criminal libel
Prime Minister Robert Abela has ruled out any reintroduction of criminal libel, stressing that media reform must remain within the civil legal framework. Speaking at a Times of Malta Business Breakfast marking the paper’s 90th anniversary, he said journalism must be safeguarded as a pillar of democracy while ensuring remedies remain available to those harmed by abuses of free expression. Criminal libel was abolished under the current administration, and Abela said civil law must continue to protect good-faith reporting while offering redress to victims. He referred to the ongoing consultation on media reform, which includes proposals to entrench press freedom in the Constitution, strengthen privacy rights, and improve safeguards against harassment of journalists. Malta was the first EU country to adopt anti-SLAPP rules. (Maltatoday)
Maltese couple killed in Sicily crash
Two Maltese nationals died in a head-on collision with a truck in Sicily on Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred at around 3pm on the Catania–Ragusa motorway near Lentini and involved a Toyota Yaris with Maltese plates. The victims were later identified as Manuel Buhagiar, 73, a retired police officer, and his wife Doris, 69, both from Żebbuġ. Firefighters extracted them from the wreckage, but doctors pronounced them dead at the scene. The carabinieri carried out a reconstruction of the accident, while the Siracusa prosecutor ordered the seizure of both vehicles. The highway was closed for several hours, and the bodies were taken to Lentini Hospital morgue. The Foreign Affairs Ministry said it is supporting the victims’ family through its consular services and Malta’s embassy in Rome. (The Malta Independent)
