Today’s Editorials consider a number of elements related to the re-opening of the Maltese economy, while the Times’ places its focus on controversial planning decisions.
The Times of Malta takes Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg to task following the controversial approval of a swimming pool in an ODZ area in Rabat. The Editor argues that the Minister should have withdrawn his bid after the appeal court found against him since it clearly cast doubt on the propriety of what he was doing. The Editor adds that as a prominent public figure, he has also undermined the commitment made by the new minister for planning to protect ODZ and has set a poor example to the rest of the population that planning rules are not to be respected but may be circumvented by any technical planning device available.
The Independent recalls that today marks the 100th day from the appearance of the first case of coronavirus in Malta, with the situation slowly returning back to normality. However, the Editor expresses hope that some benefits that have been accrued throughout the past three months are maintained, such as the greater respect for nature and countryside, the effort to spend more time together as a family and the increased use of teleworking.
L-Orizzont welcomes the decision to re-open the airport and allow flights from a number of countries. This news will help further support the local hotels and restaurants sector which have already received significant financial support by Government. The Editor explains his agreement to the principle of safe corridors with a number of countries, a strategy which has been praised by the World Tourism Organisation.
In-Nazzjon complains that the Labour Government continues not to show any vision in its policies, with its initiatives lacking any direction or indication of where future economic growth is going to originate from. The Editor also highlights some concerning data such as the collapse in retail trade over the past months, a figure which exceeded the EU’s average. It also refers to the significant increase in deficit levels, with the Government already 600 million in the red by the first four months of the year.
