LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne declared that the local health authorities would not need to give the fourth dose against COVID-19 as he announced that 79% of adults in Malta have been given a booster dose. “It is a very high rate which give us peace of mind to cautiously remove all restrictions,” declared Minister Fearne. 1,233,948 vaccine doses have been administered to date, 339,312 of which are booster doses. Minister Fearne said that as from March 14, the wearing of mask will no longer remain mandatory in outdoor public spaces. However, mask wearing will still remain obligatory for indoor spaces such as offices and shops, and for mass events. He added that by the beginning of the summer season almost all measures will be removed. “This will be done cautiously as other countries like Sweden who have removed all measures at once are now giving a fourth dose after seeing a spike in new cases,” rremarked Fearne. He added that the removing of mandatory vaccination to access restaurants, bars, gyms, and other public spaces, did not increase the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, quarantine periods will be reduced for fully vaccinated people. From February 21, primary contacts who are fully vaccinated will see their quarantine period go down from seven to five days. From March 7, the quarantine period will be completely removed for primary contacts if Covid cases remain under control and whoever tests positive and their household contacts will also see their quarantine period go down to seven days from the current 10. Fully vaccinated children can go back to school after five days. Fully vaccinated travellers entering Malta from red listed countries will also see their quarantine period reduced to seven days from 7 March. Meanwhile, the health authorities confirmed that 109 new Covid-19 cases were found. With 292 recoveries, the number of active cases is 1,197. 45 patients are being treated for Covid-19 in hospital, three of whom are in intensive care. No new deaths were announced, with the number of people who died since the beginning of the pandemic in Malta is 594.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A 50-year-old Italian man who had arrived in Malta in 2011 and lived in Madrid was sentenced to six years and six months in prison by the Maltese judiciary after admitting instead of standing a trial, that he imported more than half a kilo of cocaine that was not for his personal use.
The man had arrived in Malta carrying 66 capsules in his stomach. He was also fined € 7,000. On May 9, 2011, the Italian decided to seek medical attention at St. James Hospital due to intestinal problems and consistent severe stomach pain.
The Maltese police searched the hotel room where he was staying, where among other things, 18 capsules were found.
The amount of cocaine found totals to 658.91 grams with a purity of about 28%.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Council of Europe (CoE) has renewed its call to the Maltese authorities to identify all people involved in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and ensure that those responsible are held accountable, that justice is done and appealed to the Maltese government to implement the recommendations of the inquiry into the murder.
The declaration by the Council of Europe was published on the same day the Maltese Deputy Attorney General said in court that there were probably other people involved in the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination. In a published report following the visit to Malta in October 2021, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic, argued that the Maltese government should put into effect the recommendations on safeguarding media freedom and ensuring the safety of journalists, protecting the lives and dignity of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and strengthening women’s rights. Mijatovic explained that “the top priority for the government should be to set in motion vital legislative and other reforms to fully implement the recommendations of the public inquiry report which found the state responsible for her assassination, and to comply with international standards. The effective involvement of civil society in this process and ensuring accountability and transparency at all stages are key”.
Mijatovic called for a co-ordinated response against threats and also warned that the adoption of a new law to provide greater protection for journalists should not result in state interference in the regulation of their profession and invites the media community to adopt an effective system of self regulation.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Two Maltese men were arrested by the Maltese authorities for drug trafficking from Sicily to Malta. The two men have been arrested over a cannabis find of 34kg with an estimated value of € 700,000. The imported drugs from Sicily were stored in a garage in Zebbug. On Saturday evening, the Police Drugs Squad, followed a van after it arrived from Sicily. The garage was surrounded by the police, after two cars were stopped from leaving the property.
The police found €300,000 in cash, and the cannabis, which was hidden in a hollowed-out section of the van.
The men were charged with trafficking, drug possession and money laundering among other charges. Both pleaded not guilty however they were remanded in custody.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The NGO Alarm Phone accused the Armed Forces of Malta of giving orders to a merchant ship not to intervene to save a group of migrants in the Maltese search and rescue area. The NGO added that the Armed Forces of Malta was monitoring the group of 88 migrants from the air.

However, the group of migrants, including a baby and 27 unaccompanied minors have been rescued by Ocean Viking – a humanitarian vessel chartered from July 2019 by SOS Mèditerranèe.

The humanitarian NGO explained that the group was on board an overcrowded wooden boat when they found themselves in distress in the Libyan search and rescue region after the engine had broken down.

There are currently a total of 181 migrants on board the Ocean Viking.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The newly elected President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola made her first official visit following her election last month.
On Thursday she met with George Vella, the President of Malta describing the discussions as “very interesting”.
During the meeting, Metsola emphasised on the importance that the European Parliament reaches out to people in all EU Member States and the importance of bringing the European project closer to the citizens of the bloc.
Vella and Metsola also discussed the role of the EU in confronting challenges brought about by the global pandemic and globalisation. Maltàs role within the European Union was also discussed.
President George Vella said there was a need for greater awareness about the European Parliament’s work and how this impacts the daily lives of the European citizens.
He added that the discussions with the newly elected President of the European Parliament gave a clear explanation of the vision and goals with which Metsola is carrying out her duties and functions.
Moreover, both sides discussed the challenges in the Mediterranean and the current escalation of tension between Russia and Ukraine.
Later in the day, Metsola paid a visit to the site in Bidnija where Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated outside her family home on 16 October 2017.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis, 85 will be visiting Malta for two days in April. This was announced this morning by Apostolic Nuncio Alessandro D’Errico during the Pontifical Mass celebrating the national feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck.
Nuncio D’Errico announced that Pope Francis will be in Malta on 2 and 3 April. He said the Pope will visit Valletta, Rabat, Floriana and Hal Far, and Gozo. In Hal Far, Pope Francis will most probably will be visiting the centre hosting migrants. However, further details about the pastoral visit will be published in the coming weeks. A delegation from the Vatican will soon be visiting Malta in preparation ahead of the visit.
The Archbishop’s Curia has already published the logo which will be used in connection to the papal visit. The chosen theme for the upcoming visit “they showed us unusual kindness” was taken from the Acts of the Apostles referring to the shipwreck of St. Paul and how the apostle found the Maltese people to be extraordinarily welcoming, which has given Malta a reputation for hospitality.
The Maltese government said the apostolic visit comes after Prime Minister Robert Abela visited the Holy See in October when it was discussed.
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said this will be an opportunity for Malta to unite and means that the Holy See looked at Malta in a positive manner. “The news was emotional,” he said, adding he looked forward to welcoming the Pope” among the Maltese people.
Pope Francis’ first apostolic journey to Malta was scheduled for 31 May 2020. However, the Covid-19 pandemic, disrupted the original plans.
The Holy See did not wish to visit Malta close to an electoral campaign, and it is expected it that Prime Minister Robert Abela will seek the dissolution of Parliament within a few weeks, so that an election can be held in mid-March.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta was referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union by the European Commission over the dumping of sewage waste into the sea.
The decision by the commission was taken following Maltàs failure to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. According to the European Commission, Malta should have been compliant by end of March, 2017.
“The main issue in Malta is the performance of the waste water treatment plants. The Maltese agglomerations have a municipal collecting system in place and the waste water is being directed to a treatment plant, however, the waste waters exiting the treatment plants do not meet the quality requirements of the directive”. This situation, the Commission said, is mainly due to the discharge of farmyard waste (animal manure) into the municipal waste water system, a long-standing problem in Malta, which hampers the performance of the treatment plants and for which the authorities have not yet found solutions.
The Commission said that despite some progress, the Maltese authorities have not fully addressed the grievances. The Commission considers that efforts by the Maltese authorities have to date been unsatisfactory and insufficient.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Former EU commissioner for health John Dalli was charged in connection with an alleged 60 million bribery bid aimed at overturning an EU-wide ban on snus, a form of smokeless tobacco, at the time when he was European Commissioner.
Dalli, 73 pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa, who was an inspector at the time of the scandal, took the witness stand in Court during Wednesday’s sitting.
Dalli is being charged over a €60 million bribe which he allegedly sought during his time as European Commissioner to influence the EU’s tobacco legislation and allow the sale of snus. At present, snus is only legal in Sweden through a derogation.
Dalli resigned from European Commissioner in September 2012 following an investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) that showed he had been in contact with his former aide Silvio Zammit who allegedly solicited a €60 million bribe from a Swedish tobacco company seeking the end of a retail ban on its products.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Russian navy is expected to sail close to the Maltese islands to carry out military exercises including missile-firing over the Maltese airspace.
According to a local report the military excercises are expected in the coming days or weeks. Two Russian fleets will be based in the Mediterranean Sea, outside the Maltese territorial waters to carry out these military exercises.
The Maltese Foreign Affairs Ministry did not confirm and neither denied the report published by the Opposition’s media in Malta. Questions sent to the Ministry have remained unanswered.
Foreign affairs observers remarked that these military exercises could lead to disruption of traffic in Maltese airspace. This is because these missiles are fired up to 60,000 feet, when aircrafts fly on an average between 30 and 40,000 feet over the Maltese airspace. This also means that aircrafts scheduled to fly into thee Maltese airspace will have to change their course completely.
Similar military activity by the Russian military was carried out recently over the Irish airspace. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has strongly condemned these military manoeuvres by the Kremlin forces.
In 2016, then Maltàs Foreign Minister George Vella confirmed that the Maltese government did not allow President Putin’s eight-strong battlegroup to refuel in Malta on suspicion that the fleet was on its way to Syria.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews