Updated 1700
The Times of Malta reports that Steward said it has also requested a European Court of Justice (ECJ) preliminary ruling since it viewed the judgement as undermining the rule of law.
Maltatoday says that the Court of Appeal has upheld Transport Malta’s decision to suspend Christian Borg’s car rental company’s licence, following numerous customer complaints, in which the Tribunal ruled that the company’s actions had damaged Malta’s international reputation.
Newsbook reports that Daphne Caruana Galizia hitman George Degiorgio has filed another request to be temporarily allowed out of jail to attend his daughter’s birthday party.
The Malta Independent reveals that Italian low-cost supermarket giant Eurospin’s plans for a new supermarket just off Marsa’s Aldo Moro Road have received the thumbs up from the Planning Authority’s case officer, paving the way for the project to be approved later this year.
Updated 1220
Ryanair announces increased route schedule
Low-cost airline Ryanair has announced hat summer schedule will cover 66 routes, including four new ones and increased frequencies on more than 20 others. The company said that the schedule for Malta and will see more than 470 weekly flights, a 26% growth over last year. The four new destinations are Baden and Memmingen in Germany, East Midlands in the UK and Stockholm in Sweden. (Maltatoday)
Former Labour Minister Edwin Grech passes away
Edwin Grech, a former Labour minister and father of letterbomb victim Karin Grech, has died aged 94. His death was announced by his nephew, Opposition leader Bernard Grech, in a Facebook post. The Opposition leader praised his uncle as a person who had given everything for his ideals. Prime Minister Robert Abela also offered the Grech family his condolences, saying Grech had given “everything” to his country and his patients. (Times of Malta)
Decomposed body found below St Elmo
A body in an advanced state of decomposition was recovered from the sea below Fort St Elmo early on Wednesday morning, the police have revealed. A police spokesperson told Newsbook.com.mt that the delicate operation was conducted by the armed forces in heavy seas. The body has not been identified yet and an autopsy is expected to be held. (Newsbook)
Morning Briefing
Authorities accused of leaving migrants to die – NGOs
An NGO has accused Italian and Maltese authorities of leaving people to die at sea after at least 30 migrants drowned when their boat capsized off Libya on Sunday. “Their politics of non-assistance and the delegation of their duties to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard led to the death of 30 people who were on a boat in distress in international waters, in the contested Libyan Search-and-Rescue (SAR) region,” international NGOs Alarm Phone, Mediterranea Saving Humans and Sea-Watch said. The NGOs said the location of the boat was in international waters, outside of Libyan territorial waters. (Times of Malta)
Maltese MEPs vote against mandatory energy-friendly house renovations
Malta’s MEPs have voted against draft measures that mandate house renovations to reduce energy consumption in buildings. THrough the new rules, the EU is seeking to require all new buildings to be zero-emission from 2028, with the deadline for new buildings occupied, operated or owned by public authorities in 2026. All new buildings should be equipped with solar technologies by 2028, where technically suitable and economically feasible, while residential buildings undergoing major renovation have until 2032. (Maltatoday)
Joseph Muscat was allowed to keep diplomatic passport after resigning
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was allowed to retain his diplomatic passport under the terms of the severance package which he received when he resigned from the post of Prime Minister. PM Robert Abela said that the termination package involves a “diplomatic passport and other protocol facilities.” This information emerged in Parliament through a PQ put forward by Nationalist MP Graham Bencini. (Malta Independent)
