PN stands by leadership election outcome amid voter eligibility claims The Nationalist Party has stood firmly by the results of its recent leadership election after reports that Adrian Delia’s campaign had questioned voter eligibility. A leaked letter sent to the PN leadership commissioner claimed that 33 individuals appeared on the final voting list despite not being listed earlier, with nine allegedly barred from voting. However, the PN stressed that both candidates had already agreed to the voter list before the election and confirmed the result as valid. The party noted that the allegations had been reviewed and dismissed by the commission prior to the vote. Adrian Delia insisted he was not contesting the result, distancing himself from the claims. (The Malta Independent)
Archbishop warns of ‘ethnic extinction’ amid Malta’s record-low birth rate Archbishop Charles Scicluna has warned that Malta risks “ethnic extinction” due to its record-low birth rate. Delivering his homily on Victory Day, Scicluna noted that Malta has the lowest birth rate in Europe, and when combined with the country’s small size, this could threaten the nation’s identity. “What our enemies did not manage to do, we are doing with our own hands,” he said. Victory Day commemorates Malta’s triumphs in the Great Siege of 1565 and the Second World War. Scicluna praised government efforts to provide affordable housing for young people but urged greater focus on family life, stressing that while caring for pets is admirable, children remain society’s greatest treasure. (Times of Malta)
Illegal sandblasting site shut down in northern Malta An illegal sandblasting site in northern Malta has been shut down after Malta Ranger Unit officers caught the operator in the act near a Tree Protected Area. The operation, carried out from a derelict greenhouse, had been under observation since summer when rangers first noticed dust clouds rising from the site. Following a fresh report of activity last week, ERA enforcement officers intervened and apprehended the operator while work was ongoing. The Planning Authority was also notified as dust had covered nearby protected trees and agricultural land. Given the serious health and environmental risks linked to unlicensed sandblasting, the Ranger Unit called for maximum fines and legal action, thanking ERA officers for their swift response. (Newsbook)
