Updated 0900 – Newspaper Review
The Times says that the EU Commission is set to reject a proposal by the government to inject €250 million into Air Malta on a five-year term. Sources close to the negotiations told the paper that the approved total will more likely be around €190 million.
The Independent quotes a statement by the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation that fresh evidence suggests that once-secret company 17 Black received funds from a complex money-laundering scheme known as the Azerbaijani Laundromat.
Malta Today reports that the PN is demanding the removal of Rosianne Cutajar from the government’s parliamentary group to send a strong message that Malta is addressing concerns raised by the FATF.
In-Nazzjon covers a PN press event calling on MP Rosianne Cutajar to step down following a damning report by the Standards Commissioner. Spokesperson for good governance Therese Comodini Cachia said the Prime Minister is being held hostage by the MP.
L-Orizzont covers an address by General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja during the International Labour Organisation annual conference. The Maltese representative said that recovery from Covid-19 needs a global response.
Malta Today says that the daughters of Dom Mintoff, Yana Mintoff and Anne McKenna , criticised a newly-published biography of the former Prime Minister, accusing the author of basing his writing on hearsay and untruths.
The Times reports that the Labour Party removed all copies of Dom Mintoff’s biography written by Dominican priest Mark Montebello and published by its publishing arm. It is understood that the party received several complaints from supporters.
The Independent reports on findings by a Faculty of Theology study indicating that 72 per cent of people aged between 16 and 30 identify as Catholic, a significantly lower rate than the 90 per cent expressed by the population over 30 years.
L-Orizzont reports that Magistrate Joseph Mifsud turned down a request by MCZMC Developers to release the building site in Ħamrun where a house collapse last year claimed the life of Miriam Pace.
In-Nazzjon reports that an inmate lost her life in hospital where she was being treated after attempting suicide in her cell. The paper says that the prison system is failing inmates and their families.
L-Orizzont quotes a declaration by an Austrian court that migrant pushbacks without assessment of their status are illegal. The paper says that thousands of migrants fleeing from Libya are being pushed back to the North African country.
Morning Briefing
Govt will not share FATF documents
Government has dismissed an Opposition request to access correspondence between involving the Financial Action Task Force and the Maltese authorities, with Finance Minister Clyde Caruana saying this was due to its “highly confidential” nature.
The request had been presented by Nationalist Party MP Robert Cutajar, who sought access for the Opposition to FATF exchanges, following Malta’s recent greylisting by the international anti-financial crime agency, including the full report on Malta. Caruana said that this information could not be provided “due to FATF rules as well as our laws”.
Fenech denied request to block use of information given in pardon attempt
Yorgen Fenech’s appeal to block testimony based on information he provided while attempting to gain a presidential pardon is premature, the constitutional court decided. The Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect had his request for a pardon in exchange for information turned down by government and his lawyers attempted to block police officers from testifying about the information Fenech gave them in the murder case against him.
However, Magistrate Anna Felice argued that at that juncture, the magistrates’ court was gathering and preserving evidence, not deciding upon the issue of guilt or otherwise, while adding that Fenech had other remedies at law.
Covid-19 Update
New cases remained in double figures on Tuesday, as 11 patients tested positive. There were no recoveries. Malta has
now reached 90 active cases. 2,481 swab tests were taken, taking this particular tally over a million.
CDE News
