Updated 1700 – Afternoon Portal Review
The Times of Malta leads with news that the MUMN, the nurses union, has suspended directives and will be calling an extraordinary general meeting where its 4,000 members can vote on the government’s final proposal.
Maltatoday reports that a 19-year-old facing charges after trying to run over mechanic, pointing gun at him, over repair job.
The Malta Independent quotes Minister Miriam Dalli, who, during an event, said that some €24 billion are currently sitting idle in Maltese bank deposits, and they should be used as financial assistance for the capital expenditure needed towards investing in cleaner energy.
TVM says that according to the The Malta College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the industrial actions called by the Malta Union for Nurses and Midwives three weeks ago at Mater Dei hospital, Gozo General hospital, and all health centres around the country, meant that 80 gynae operations related to cancer had to be cancelled.
Updated 1230
Report shows shift to property rentals
Malta has seen a shift in demand for property sales to rentals, as the demand for property rentals increased drastically during the first few months of the year. A PWC report shows that demand for property rentals increased from 12% in the first quarter of 2022 to 31% in the first quarter of 2023. On the other hand, demand for property sales fell from 51% in the first quarter of 2022 to 42% in the first quarter of 2023.
Top Italian politician says Malta pretends not to see migrants at sea
Tommaso Foti, leader of the right-wing Fratelli d’Italia grouping in Italy’s parliament, has expressed frustration at Malta’s unwillingness to rescue migrants, saying the country is “pretending not to see” people at sea. “Malta’s attitude is starting to grate,” said Tommaso Foti, who heads the ruling right-wing Fratelli d’Italia grouping in Italy’s parliament. “They consistently pretend not to see and never intervene. Our coastguard is under pressure,” he said. Fratelli d’Italia is Italy’s largest political party and is led by the country’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. (Times of Malta)
Portelli secures recusal of EPRT chairman
J. Portelli Projects has successfully secured the recusal of Environment and Planning Tribunal (EPRT) chairman Joseph Borg from decisions involving the construction group. The Tribunal described the move as intimidation and accused Portelli of “forum shopping” noting that recusals “cannot be invoked arbitrarily by one of the parties that may feel more comfortable or protected in front of one member of the judiciary than another. Yet, the EPRT chairperson still decided to recuse himself from all appeals pending in front of the tribunal in which J. Portelli Projects has a stake, insisting on the “principle that justice should not only be done but should be seen to be done” to ensure a “fair hearing”.
Morning Briefing
Govt calls conciliation meeting on nurses negotiation impasse
The Health Ministry has triggered a clause that will require negotiations over a new sectoral agreement for nurses to be discussed before a three-person panel, as part of a conciliation meeting. The Times of Malta says that according to government sources, the latter’s most recent negotiation offer, which the MUMN has refused, would “more than double” the salary increases agreed upon in 2018, when the previous sectoral agreement for nurses was signed. In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that if the government was really concerned about patients’ wellbeing, it should “immediately present nurses and midwives with adequate proposals”. (Times of Malta)
No Deposit Cars says customers are part of mudslinging campaign
Hire-purchase company No Deposit Cars has claimed to be the victim of an “orchestrated mudslinging campaign” by a group of customers attempting to evade their contractual obligations, in its reply to a judicial protest filed by the customers. The company, its parent company Princess Holdings, its owner Christian Borg and its director Joseph Camenzuli, filed a counter-protest on Tuesday to a judicial protest filed on Thursday by 26 of its customers. (Maltatoday)
Air Malta says technical problems on leased aircraft cause of delays
The national airline Air Malta stated that technical problems in one of its leased aircraft two days ago resulted in delays to some flights. In a statement, Air Malta explained that the summer schedule is operated with eight aircraft, all including the necessary pilots and crew. It added that one of its aircraft is presently undergoing maintenance, and this will last until mid-May, and because of this situation it leased two aircraft to cover the flights schedule. Air Malta explained that one of the leased aircraft suffered a technical problem on Sunday, and it could not be operate (TVM)
