Eight men and a woman have pleaded not guilty to charges related to trafficking women from abroad for prostitution in Malta. The arraignment occurred on Tuesday evening following a series of coordinated early-morning raids by Maltese police across several locations, including Birkirkara, Gzira, St. Paul’s Bay, Siggiewi, Fgura, Gudja, Raħal Ġdid, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, and Isla. These raids resulted in 11 arrests on human trafficking charges. The operation took place early on Monday, 12 August, with the accused including eight Maltese men, one Maltese woman, and a Romanian man and woman, who were arraigned yesterday afternoon. All nine are charged with money laundering, promoting or setting up a criminal organisation. (Times of Malta)
Quantity and quality in tourism both needed – Tourism Minister
Attracting high-spending tourists is essential, but drastic measures to limit the number of visitors would be a mistake, said Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo. Bartolo was responding to comments from Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) president Tony Zahra, who recently suggested that Malta may be approaching its maximum tourist capacity. In an interview with Times of Malta, Zahra expressed concerns that the island might have been “too successful” in attracting low-spending concertgoers and cruise ship visitors, potentially straining the tourism sector. During an event yesterday, Bartolo acknowledged the importance of drawing in higher-spending tourists but warned against taking drastic actions to cut visitor numbers. “It is true that we need tourists who will spend more than in previous years, but we cannot simply halt everything to drastically reduce the number of tourists,” he said.
Women’s Lobby says dangers of partner violence are underestimated The Malta Women’s Lobby said it is deeply saddened and horrified with yet another femicide – that of Nicolette Ghirxi in her own home in Birkirkara. “This heartbreaking event highlights the urgent need to address the often-underestimated dangers faced by victims of intimate partner violence:, the lobby said in a statement. The NGO insisted that research consistently shows that victims of violence from their partners, particularly those experiencing severe psychological trauma, may underestimate their risk of future violence. This underestimation can lead to a lack of engagement in crucial safety planning, leaving them vulnerable to further harm, it added. (The Malta Independent).
