Updated 1220
Jean Paul Sofia’s parents demand compensation for son’s death: The parents of construction victim Jean Paul Sofia have demanded compensation from all those involved in the project, seven months after the fatal accident at Corradino. The request for compensation came through a judicial letter filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court, with news emerging as MPs on Wednesday vote on a Nationalist Party motion calling for a public inquiry into the 20-year-old’s death. Isabelle Bonnici and John Sofia filed the judicial letter against architect Adriana Zammit, who designed the building and an Infrastructure Malta employee; Lands Authority official Kurt Buhagiar, his business partner, Matthew Schembri, who jointly own AllPlus Limited and the latter as director of Whitefrost Company Limited; Boris and Elton Cutajar, who were operators of a concrete pump being used on the day of the incident, and Indis Malta Limited, which leased the land in question. (Times of Malta)
NAO laments government inaction on obesity: The National Audit Office (NAO) has questioned whether the government is doing enough to address Malta’s rising obesity epidemic. However, the NAO stated that sustained high prevalence rates “raise concerns about whether Government is fully cognizant of the scale of the problem and taking sufficient action.” Despite acknowledging the investment and efforts made, including legislative changes, policy developments, as well as implemented projects, measures, and initiatives. A recent WHO research found that between 40% and 36% of Maltese children and adolescents are overweight, while Malta has the highest obesity incidence in the EU at 28.7%. (Newsbook)
Two Israeli fans to be arraigned after Stadium fracas: Following the mayhem that occurred during Tuesday’s Champions League match between Hamrun Spartans and Maccabi Haifa in the Centenary Stadium in Ta’ Qali, two football supporters of the Israeli team will be arraigned today. According to a police statement released on Wednesday, the police searched every fan who entered the stadium. It was discovered that Maccabi Haifa supporters were carrying flares, even next to their private areas. Other fans nevertheless succeeded in sneaking flares inside the stadium despite the findings. Meanwhile, police stated that six people from Israel had been escorted out of the stadium, where after investigations, two of them were arrested, and will be arraigned in court shortly. (Maltatoday)
Morning Briefing
Muscat denies taking bribes from any national project
Former PM Joseph Muscat denied ever taking bribes in relation to the Electrogas or any other national project but when asked what precautions were taken to make sure that his right-hand men Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi were not bribed, he answered, “I can only vouch for myself.” Muscat reappeared before the Public Accounts Committee today as the committee continued to explore the NAO investigation into the Electrogas agreement. Muscat said he “paid the ultimate political price” by stepping down in 2020. However, he went on to say that Schembri and Mizzi had both denied accepting bribes from a covert Dubai business run by the former Electrogas director Yorgen Fenech, who is accused of killing Daphne Caruana Galizia. (Newsbook)
Government refuses to overturn Theuma presidential pardon
Government has refused a request by Yorgen Fenech for the presidential pardon granted to Melvin Theuma to be withdrawn. The Cabinet of Ministers decided to recommend a refusal to the president after seeking advice from the Attorney General and the Poice Commissioner, the government said in a statement. Fenech has been under arrest since November 2019 and is awaiting trial after having been accused of complicity in the car bomb murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017. Theuma acted as a middleman between Fenech, who allegedly commissioned the assassination, and the three hitmen. When Theuma was arrested in November 2019, he also handed over to the police several recordings of conversations involving Fenech that he made in the months after the murder. (Times of Malta/Maltatoday)
New scheme for expired Government ground rents
The Government has announced a new scheme through which government ground rents that have expired or are about to expire can be renewed. Economy Minister Silvio Schembri outlined the purpose of the scheme at a press briefing, saying it aims to provide hundreds of families who are worried about the future of the home they have owned for many years some piece of mind. This programem is expected to have an impact on 1,800 properties, whether they are residential, agricultural, or commercial. (TVM)
