Updated 1330
Mid-Day Briefing
President calls for more equality on Parliament inauguration
President George Vella appeared to MPs to strive towards better equality. Addressing the first session of Parliament, which reconvened for the first time in the 14th legislature, Vella said touched social themes such as IVF and the environment. “Above all we want an equal society,” Vella told MPs. “Among these main priorities will be giving more families a greater chance to become parents. A number of amendments will be tabled to the laws governing IVF to offer greater hope to the most prospective parents. “Equality at every level is one of the values that must distinguish us as a country,” Vella said.
The President also tackled Malta’s current grey-listing predicament, saying that the administration will strengthen the country’s standards following a positive report from the Counci of Europe’s Moneyval, and to implement the recommendations agreed with the Financial Action Task Force in a bid to take Malta out of the FATF enhanced monitoring procedure.
Farrugia confirmed as Speaker
Anglu Farrugia has been confirmed as Speaker for a third consecutive legislature on Saturday morning. He was back by Labour, while PN MPs voted against.
Farrugia was first elected Speaker of the House in 2013, succeeding Michael Frendo, and his position was reconfirmed in 2017.
Covid-19: Health authorities reported 132 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with no deaths linked to the virus reported for the third successive day. Active cases have gone down below 3,000.
Morning Briefing
No more red lists from Monday
Malta will next week scrap its red and dark red travel lists, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Friday.
Speaking on TVM, Fearne said that as from Monday travellers coming from any country will no longer require a period of quarantine. As things stood, those coming from a country on Malta’s dark red list had to first seek special permission from health authorities in order to enter the country and then spend two weeks in quarantine upon their arrival in the country regardless. (The Malta Independent)
PN leader seeks compromise on Speaker
Opposition leader Bernard Grech on Friday urged the Prime Minister to reach a compromise over the nomination of a Speaker of the House of Representatives, just hours before Parliament is summoned in Valletta. Parliament’s first sitting after the general election is due on Saturday morning, and Anġlu Farrugia is set to be reappointed as Speaker for a third term. He only needs a simple majority in the House. The PN disagrees with his nomination, with Grech on Friday saying the olive branches that he and Robert Abela were offering each other should lead to a compromise. (Times of Malta)
Covid-19 Update: 122 new Covid-19 cases were reported on health authorities with active cases standing at 2,995. No new deaths were reported overnight
