LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese authorities were heavily criticized by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for not doing enough and not taking responsability in the fight against EU fraud and corruption.
While addressing Europarliamentarians, the European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kòvesi referred to her visit to Malta last October and declared that following her meetings, she concluded that the national institutions were shifting the blame with regards to the responsability on identifying such crimes.
“I visited Malta. I had meetings with the national authorities and after two days it was very difficult for me to identify the institution that is responsible for detecting crimes,” she said. “All of them said that ‘it’s not me. It’s them.’ And when I visited them, they said ‘it’s not us’.”
Only two out of 2,200 reports received by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office were from Malta and the Mediterranean island is the only participating member State that has yet to open a single investigation.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office commenced its operations on 1 June 2021 when it started to investigate and prosecute crimes affecting the Union’s financial interests that were committed after 20 November 2017. So far, it has seized some €147 million in assets, made arrests, and currently has 515 active investigations accumulating an estimated €5.4 billion in damages.
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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was invited by the Maltese Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg to virtually address the Maltese Parliament.
During a telephone call with Ukrainès Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Borg confirmed that he asked his Ukrainian counterpart to consider President Zelenskyy to address the Maltese Parliament following the inauguration of the 14th legislature scheduled on May, 7. Minister Borg confirmed that the request was appreciated and Minister Kuleba promised it will be delivered and see it done. He added that the Ukrainian Foreign Minister showed how grateful his goverment is for Malta in helping Ukraine by offering humanitarian aid, medical inteventions, education and in welcoming Ukrainian refugees. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started some eight weeks ago, Zelenskyy has addressed a number of parliaments including the US Congress, the UK’s House of Commons, and the European Parliament. During the phone call, Borg explained Maltàs commitment to impose sanctions on Russia and also spoke on the issue of the expulsion of Russian diplomats following last week’s declaration that Malta will not be expelling any Russian diplomats but will instead be freezing a pending request by Russia to deploy more diplomatic staff here. In Monday’s conversation with Kuleba, Borg said that his counterpart “understood why Malta has so far not expelled Russian diplomats given Maltàs small embassy in Moscow”.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Russian diplomats will not be expelled from Malta. However, the Maltese authorties are freezing a request from the Russian government to deploy more diplomatic staff to the Mediterranean island. This was confirmed by the new Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg following the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg.
Minister Borg stated that the decision reflects Maltàs small size and limitations of its diplomatic presence and wanted to ensure that Maltàs embassy in Moscow will be kept functioning. However, the minister’s statements highlight how Russiàs invasion of Ukraine has disrupted Maltàs ongoing efforts to develop further ties with Russia.
The Maltese Foreign Minister added that Malta has “reaffirmed its position to condemn, without reservations, the atrocities that we are witnessing” without referring to Russia. Meanwhile, Malta also pledged to cooperate fully in the implementation of any sanctions that are decided at EU level.
Minister Borg confirmed that there had been an “expectation” that Malta would expel diplomats as other member states had done. In Malta, calls to expel diplomats have been made by former Nationalist Party MP Jason Azzopardi.
Diplomatic expulsions were stepped up after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and EU countries justified the expulsions on national security grounds, with governments insisting that the diplomats were a cover for espionage efforts that would only serve to undermine the countries hosting them.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese authorities uncovered a record amount of cocaine linked to Colombian drug traffickers. 800 kilos of cocaine with an estimated street value of €108.2 million were found hidden in a 40ft reefer container.
The container was selected by the Customs Container Monitoring Unit following a tip off, and was screened, along several other containers, where some discrepancies were flagged. The cargo with a refrigerated payload of 1,200 boxes of bananas had left the port city of Turbo in Columbia, considered as drug transitting town and was on its way to Mersin, the largest seaport in Turkey situated in the south of the country. Customs officers together with Police Drug Squad officials opened the container and physically inspected all the boxes. A total of 80 packets containing high purity cocaine were found inside 26 boxes. The packets carried a net weight of 1kg each and were concealed within the boxes of fruit. However, the difference in density and consistency was immediately flagged by the scanning officials.
The case was handed over to the Malta Police Drug Force, for further investigation. In 2021, the department had intercepted 740kg of cocaine worth €100 million, also hidden in boxes of banana.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta started to administer the fourth dose against Covid-19 to immunocompromised people and residents at homes for the elderly. This was announced by the Minister of Health Chris Fearne adding that Malta continues to enjoy one of Europès highest vaccination rates.
He added that the fourth dose will be made available voluntary to people over 80 years as from 18 April. Elderly people eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine will be notified by the health authorities. The Health Minister confirmed that it will have no impact on the validity of the Covid-19 vaccine certificates.
The European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Control stated that a fourth dose can be given to adults of 80 years of age and above after reviewing data on the higher risk of severe COVID-19 in this age group and the protection provided by a fourth dose.
Malta is currently registering high rate of positive cases. Following yesterday’s over 800 new cases, today the local health authorities confirmed 731 new cases of coronavirus, as a spike in cases is apparently related to the general election campaign activities particularly those organised during the last week of March. The local health authorities confirmed that in the last 24 hours, 401 patients recovered from Covid-19.
The number of active cases has reached 8,357, a number last recorded in January.
Two new deaths were recorded bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 652.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government was warned for the last time by the European Commission over its’ ‘golden passport’ scheme before taking the matter before the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The commission considers the granting of EU citizenship in return for pre-determined payments or investments, without any genuine link to the Member State concerned, is in breach of EU law.
However, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela is refusing to scrap the scheme, and now his government has two months to reply to the European Commission.
Malta has recently suspended the ‘golden passport’ scheme for Russian and Belarusian nationals following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“While this was a positive step, Malta continues to operate the scheme for all other nationals and did not express any intention to stop it,” the commission said. Insisting that European values are not for sale, the European Commission said investor citizenship schemes undermine the essence of EU citizenship and have implications for the Union as a whole.
Malta and Cyprus are the only two EU countries selling passports following last month decision by the Bulgarian government to scrap its scheme. EU citizenship automatically gives the right to free movement, access to the EU internal market, and the right to vote and be elected in European and local elections.
The Maltese government is argueing that the grant of citizenship falls within the national competence “and it should remain as such.” The ggovernment reiterated that only worthy individuals benefit from an important right as citizenship on such basis, and that it will be keeping an open dialogue with the Commission.
Despite Abelàs reassurances from the Maltese Prime Minister that no Maltese citizen is on the Russian sanctions list, last week the US treasury department sanctioned two Russian individuals who bought Maltese passports. In response to the sanctions, the Maltese government started the process to revoke their Maltese citizenship in accordance with the Maltese Citizenship Act.
During the recent election campaign, Abela was accused of having direct financial interest in Maltàs ‘golden passports’ scheme, with his wife Lydia Abela having been listed as the accredited agent of a passport sales in 2018. Abela has also admitted to renting out his ?ejtun villa to two Russian passport applicants.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Experts from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are in Malta on a three-day visit to assess whether the Maltese authorities have started to implement the necessary reforms to improve the fight against money laundering and tax evasion following the decision taken in June, 2021 by the FATF to include Malta on its grey list.

The grey list is updated by the FATF regularly and if countries commit to implementing the necessary reforms and thus improving their legal framework to bring it in line with FATF standards, then it is possible that these countries will be removed from the organisation’s grey list.

The FATF team are holding meetings with various Maltese government officials to assess if the country is doing enough to combat financial crime.

The decision to carry out an onsite visit was confirmed by the FATF at its plenary session in February 2022 wherein it was expressed that Malta has substantially completed its action plan. Last month, the FATF publicly announced that initial indications showed Malta had substantially completed its action plan and appeared to have addressed the shortcomings identified ten months ago. However, the FATF is expected to announce its decision about Maltàs greylist status during its next plenary session, scheduled for June.

As a major fiscal centre, the gambling and financial services industries play a key role in Maltàs economy – as of last year, betting and gaming generated €700 million annually and accounted for 12% of the nation’s GDP. Malta also provides a base for headquarters or regional offices of over 250 betting operators including Betsson, Tipico and William Hill. As of last year, the gambling industry, directly and indirectly, supported 9,000 jobs on the island.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese health authorities confirmed that 719 news Covid-19 cases were recorded during the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of positive cases registered since January, 8.

According to the health authorities, 329 patients recovered from COVID-19. However, the recent spike led to a total of 7,537 active cases.

Meanwhile, five new deaths were recorded bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 649.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The President of Malta George Vella in an official declaration expressed his hope that the apostolic visit of Pope Francis to Malta “will bring both material and spiritual joy, so that unity and peace may continue to flourish” among the people of Malta.

While describing the Popès visit as “successful”, he thanked the public for attending in large numbers to all the events.

Pope Francis expressed his “deep gratitude” to the Maltese people in a telegram he sent to President George Vella at the end of his packed two-day journey to the island. “As I depart from Malta on my return to Rome, I express my deep gratitude to your excellency, the civil authorities and all the Maltese people,” the Holy Father wrote. “I pray that, through the intercession of Saint Paul the Apostle, your nation will be abundantly blessed by almighty God,” he added.

Speaking to journalists on the flight from Malta to Rome on Sunday evening, Pope Francis said he was impressed and “amazed”by the peoplès enthusiasm shown during his visit in Malta and Gozo, adding that the trip to Malta helped him understand the different realities of the country.

In his comments, Pope Francis also declared that returning asylum seekers intercepted at sea to Libya is “criminal.” While stressing on the need for greater European solidarity, the Pontiff said Europe should open its doors for migrants crossing the Mediterranean in the same way it is welcoming Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn country.

Pope Francis also confirmed that a trip to Ukraine “remains on the table”. “Many suggested that I should go to Ukraine, and I will do whatever I can. The answer is not a ‘nò. If we can do it, we should.”

While in Malta, Pope Francis referred twice to the Russian invasion of Ukraine making a heartfelt appeal: “Let us pray for peace, thinking of the humanitarian tragedy of tormented Ukraine, still under the bombardments of this sacrilegious war.”

Many Ukrainian flags greeted the Pope outside the Peace Laboratory, most of them carried by members of the Ukrainian community in Malta.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – While the Maltese health authorties are registering an increase in the positive cases of coronavirus and as from today started relaxing more anti-Covid measures, the union representing the nurses declared that the main general hospital in Malta is in severe crises because it cannot cope anymore with the influx of new cases.

The number of cases increased over recent days, with the seven-day average of 640 new cases daily. Malta has 7,188 active cases of Covid-19 following the 530 new cases and 249 recoveries in the last 24 hours. The new cases were identified through 2,754 tests, representing a positivity rate of 19.2%. During the last 24 hours, three more deaths were registered, bringing the total number of deaths to 642 since the start of the pandemic.

“Seeing the desperate situation at Mater Dei Hospital, MUMN is urging the health ministry to reduce elective surgery and to start acting responsibly since hospital cannot keep functioning with such a high influx of Covid cases,” the union said. “Mater Dei Hospital is in severe crisis with Covid patients being spread in all wards,” the union added. MUMN said more than 150 Covid patients are spread in all wards and this pose “a high risk of cross infection among the whole hospital.”

The union referred to the nursing shortage caused by the huge amount of nurses in quarantine resulting in several wards having just two or three nurses instead of six nurses in several wards. Pointing out that three wards had to be dedicated fully for Covid patients, MUMN said it had to issue directives during the weekend to ensure that more nurses were added to the roster due to the severe burnout of nurses.

The union said that Mater Dei Hospital has six designated areas which are not meant to be wards but are being used as wards, including corridors, the library and the staff canteen making it harder for the nurses to give the medical care to the patients.

The union also warned Health Minister Chris Fearne that the handling of the situation should not be dictated by political motivations.

Meanwhile, after resisting calls to introduce self-testing, the Maltese government will allow such testing to take place as of this week. Minister Chris Fearne said that this will alleviate the influx of appointments being made for swab tests and is in line with government’s intention to encourage more self-regulation than strict measures. Despite being widely available in many EU countries, self-test kits had been banned in Malta, leading people to shop on the black market.

Minister Fearne added that vulnerable people will be offered a second booster shot and from 13 April children will no longer need to wear a mask in schools. He added that from 12 April, most of those flying to Malta from a red country will need a vaccine or recovery certificate which is not older than 180 days, or a negative PCR which must be done within 72 hours before travelling.

Referring to the situation at the Intensive Care Unit, Fearne said the number of people in intensive care remained low, with five patients currently in the ITU with Covid. This, he said, remains the lowest rate of people in ITU in all of the EU.

Fearne was interviewed over the phone by the state broadcaster after testing positive to Covid-19, days after the end of the election campaign which saw big crowds gather for political events with little regard to Covid protocols.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews