LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has registered the highest increase in building permits issued in 2022 from all European Union member states. This was confirmed by the EU’s statistical office.
Malta experienced a 29.4% increase in building permits last year, while the registered average in the EU experienced a decline of 4.5%. The number of building permits issued decreased in 18 EU states, while the number rose in only nine countries including, Spain, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, and at the top of the table, Malta.
The Maltese government and the entities responsible for the planning issues has recently been at the centre of widespread criticism which led to a national protest attended by thousands of protesters demanding planning reform and an end to environmental destruction.
The Maltese Finance Minister Clyde Caruana warned that Maltàs population must grow to 800,000 by 2040 for the current economic model to be sustained. Following this statement, the Economy Minister added that Maltàs economic model is being adjusted to attract foreign investment that takes up less land and requires fewer workers to generate economic growth.

– foto: agenziafotogramma.it

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The NGO Sea-Watch confirmed that in the past few days, countless migrants have once again been pulled back to Libya, in some instances boats were also burned, and at the same time, hundreds of people drowned in the Mediterranean in the biggest shipwreck in years.
Following yesterday’s shipwreck off the Greek coast, another NGO, Alarm Phone said that there are so many open questions to be answered about what had happened off Pylos. “We need an independent investigation into the actions and inactions of the Greek forces and the role of Frontex.” Alarm Phone is also demanding that the search for the missing should continued and that DNA of all bodies found should be taken and recorded before their burial.
Rescuers saved 104 passengers – including Egyptians, Syrians, Pakistanis, Afghans and Palestinians – and recovered 79 bodies. The 25- to 30-meter boat is believed to have left the Tobruk area in Libya with hundreds of migrants onboard. The trawler was about halfway from Libya to Italy when its engine stopped functioning in the night, started flooding and capsized. Less than 15 minutes later, it sank into one of the Mediterranean’s deepest points, off the coast of Greece.
Meanwhile, the NGO Sea-Watch accused the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that she held secret talks with Abdul Hamid Ad-Dbeiba in January and Haftar in May 2023. The NGO alleged “Ad-Dbeibàs drone attacks and Haftar’s military offensive are directly related in time to these talks.”
Sea-Watch added that Ad-Dbeiba is the ruler of Tripoli and parts of Libyàs west. He is bombing the western port cities of Al-Maya, Zuwara, and Az-Zawiya with drones where several people have died already.
The NGO added that a similar military offensive in eastern Libya is undergoing on orders given by Khalifa Haftar, local warlord and convicted war criminal. “He is currently imprisoning numerous migrants and he launched a military offensive lasting several days in Tobruk and Musaid.”
Sea-Watch added that various small and large militias profited massively from the refugee business. The SSA, Stabilisation Support Authority, is one of them and it is an umbrella organization of various militias in eastern Libya. The NGO said that the SSA acts as a self-proclaimed security force at sea and on land, indirectly financed by the EU, and accused it of extorting money from the families of people on the move after they have been arrested.

– foto: agenziafotogramma.it

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni met for more than an hour in Palazzo Chigi in Rome. During the official talks, both leaders discussed various issues of interest including the energy sector, immigration, and defence.
Prime Minister Abela described the meeting with Prime Minister Meloni as cordial and declared that the talks will yield more cooperation in areas that are beneficial to both sides.
Italian Prime Minister Meloni said that the meeting with Prime Minister Abela continues to strengthen the work and the political, historical and cultural ties between the two countries who share common positions during official meetings of European leaders in Brussels.
The discussion focused on the energy sector, with the Maltese Prime Minister announcing that a technical group will be set up to see that the second interconnector project between Malta and Ragusa is carried out. He referred to other initiatives involving renewable energy projects between Europe and Africa from which both Malta and Italy can benefit.
“We eagerly await the implementation of this EU funded project and I am delighted to announce a joint technical group to facilitate and oversee its fruition without delays,” said the Maltese Prime Minister. He added “we believe that energy interconnections with North Africa, especially the benefits of solar and with energy should be our main focus. We eagerly anticipate collaboration with Italy.”
The Italian Prime Minister emphasized the need for Malta and Italy to collaborate more on projects that connect the two countries as far as energy is concerned. “We have been collaborating on energy, thanks to Italian companies, with links between the two countries, on Mediterranean and EU levels. The infrastructural issue consists of closer cooperation and common work for the future of Europe. This is important for diversification and security in energy such as gas, hydrogen, and renewable energy,” declared Giorgia Meloni
Regarding immigration, the Italian Prime Minister said that she is hoping that the European Commission will help Tunisia financially so that, among others, the problem of immigration in the Mediterranean is addressed. “We discussed the fact that without defending the European external borders, it would be difficult to talk and address secondary movements,” declared Meloni, while adding, “the challenge is to work on primary movements to solve the problem of secondary movements.” She said that over the recent years, there was good collaboration between Malta and Italy which led to change in the principles by which the EU Commission addresses and decides.
The Maltese Prime Minister referred to immigration as a common challenge for both countries that requires solidarity from the other European countries, while he stressed agreements that should be reached with countries such as Tunisia and Libya. “Migration should not be Italy’s or Maltàs challenge to fend for ourselves. It is a European challenge. We have voiced our concerns that migration requires a holistic European solution,” said Robert Abela, while adding, “I extend my gratitude to Giorgia Meloni, Ursola Von der Leyen, and Mark Rutte for their work with Tunisia focusing on both economic development and important reforms that benefit both Tunisia and the EU itself.” He said that a similar approach should be adopted with other countries like Libya.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is committed to continue investing and making the necessary decisions and implementing the waste management plan. This was declared by the Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela during a meeting with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius in Valletta. Prime Minister Robert Abela explained that the Malteee Government was making a transition in its priorities with an ambitious plan described as one of the strongest among the countries all of the European Union. He referred to the Multi Material Recovery Facility project in Hal Far that will be improving the waste management capacity, adding that different materials would be recovered and exported to be used in other products, in order to reduce waste. This project was putting into practice the circular economy and strengthening the waste treatment capacity. Robert Abela also referred to the implementation of the waste management plan between 2021 and 2030, the allocation of half a billion euro by the Government for the infrastructure for waste management and for waste to become a resource. It was said, that the investment being made complements decisions and a change in policy including the mandatory separation of waste and the implementation of the Ecohive involving multiple waste processing plants.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit Department of Information Malta-

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The international NGO Alarm Phone confirmed that “a tragic shipwreck took place off Pylos despite that the Greek, Italian and Maltese authorities were informed about the boat full of migrants in distress since Last a Tuesday”.
According to Alarm Phone the last contact with the migrants from as made just before it capsized during the early hours of last Wednesday.
104 migrants were rescued, while 79 people have so far been found drowned. However, the number of death migrants is expected to increase. It is still unclear how many migrants were onboard the boat, with numbers varies from 400 up to 750 people.
The number of missing and assumed drowned would be 567 people if there were 750 people onboard, that would put the total death toll to almost 650 people.
The boat was packed on the outside of the deck and with hundreds of people inside the boat packed like sardines. The rescued and the those who were found drowned are most likely the migrants who were outside the boat.
According to testimonies from survivors the boat was packed with people, outside and inside, inside was mainly women and children while the men was sitting outside. “If this information is correct, most of the survivors and drowned are men, since they were the ones sitting outside on the boat,” said Alarm Phone.
Pictures published after the people arrived in the port of Kalamate, support the theory that the survivors were mainly men, no women or children were seen in any of the published pictures.
The chance of finding people who were trapped inside the boat when it went down, would be extremely difficult because it is 5,000 meters below sea level.
All survivors were taken to the port in Kalamate, where approximately 30 people needed medical care and transported to the hospital, and will eventually be taken to the reception and identification center in Malakasa. Nationalities of the people onboard were reported to be from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine and Egypt.
Greecès caretaker PM Ioannis Sarmas declared three days of mourning for the victims of one of the country’s deadliest shipwrecks involving refugees.
The European Agency Frontex confirmed that its surveillance aircraft detected the boat on Tuesday at 09:47 and immediately informed the competent authorities. It added that the agency is ready to support the Greek authorities in the ongoing SAR operation. “We are deeply moved by the tragic events that are unfolding off the coast of Greece. The search and rescue operation coordinated by Greek authorities is ongoing.”
In a statement, Alarm Phone urged all authorities to “Stop blaming people on the move for trying to escape your violence!
Stop blaming people on the move for their own death! Stop pushbacks, end death at sea, tear down Europès borders!”

– photo Aegean Boat Report –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The United Nations urged Libya to treat migrants and asylum seekers with dignity, highlighting concerns over their treatment including arbitrary detention and mass expulsion. “Libyan authorities have arrested thousands of men, women and children from the streets and their homes or following raids on alleged traffickers’ camps and warehouses,” the UN’s Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement. Many, including “pregnant women and children”, are held in “overcrowded and unsanitary” conditions, UNSMIL said.
Authorities must grant UN agencies and aid organisations “unimpeded access to detainees in need of urgent protection”, UNSMIL added. Libya is a key departure point for migrants who are often fleeing conflict and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. They seek to reach Italian shores just 290 kilometres to the north across the Mediterranean Sea. Libya hosts more than 600 000 migrants, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Most enter illegally by crossing vast deserts to enter the country’s porous southern border. Vessels carrying migrants off its coast are regularly intercepted by the Libyan navy – even in international waters – with those on board forcibly returned and placed in detention centres. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 7 000 migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, the IOM said. More than 600 have drowned in attempted crossings to Europe and 368 people are missing, the agency added. In the same period, more than 50 000 migrants have arrived in Italy including more than 22,000 from Libya, according to the UN’s refugee agency.
(ITALPRESS).
-photo credit agenziafotogramma.it-

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The leader of the Nationalist Party Bernard Grech hailed the memory of Silvio Berlusconi and described him as “Prime Minister of Italy for several years, political leader and above all a great friend of Malta”.

On Twitter, the leader of the Nationalist Party recalled how Silvio Berlusconi supported Malta from the beginning on the path to joining the European Union.

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has expressed its condolences over Berlusconìs death, saying he was a friend of Malta who had always sought to improve bilateral relations.

He recalled that Berlusconi led Italy through the years of major political changes and had always expressed his support for Maltàs accession to the European Union and that he supported Malta as a member state.

Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who met with Berlusconi on numerous occasions said “his relationship with Malta was a good and strong one.” Gonzi also referred to the various European Council meetings especially discussions on issues that were of a European dimension and of major interest for Italy and Malta. “We shared the same vision of what should be happening in the Mediterranean, especially during those moments in time when there was one crisis after another – such as the 2011 Arab Spring and the Libya uprising – and when there was need for us to work together.” He mentioned in particular the migration issue and added “there were occasions when we disagreed but in all instances, with no exceptions, Berlusconi agreed on compromised solutions that were in the best interest of Malta.”

Former Foreign Minister Tonio Borg described Berlusconi as a controversial figure for a number of reasons but, as regards to Malta, he loved Malta. “Each time we requested some help, he always said yes. He always used to seek a solution. Even after we joined the EU, Italy continued to help Malta financially.”

Meanwhile, Nationalist Party MEP David Casa remembered Silvio Berlusconi as “a colleague at the European Parliament, my personal friend and a friend of Malta.”

He added “he was a pillar of the European Peoplès Party and will remain known as one of the most memorable leaders of the Italian Republic. His political legacy will continue to influence world politics for years to come.”

Berlusconi visited Malta on several occasions, one of the most recent being the 2017 congress of the European Peoplès Party.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – 400 migrants are in distress in the south of Sicily. This was confirmed by the international NGO Alarm Phone. The Ngo added that it is in contact with a group of migrants traveling on a big fishing vessel. “They say they are exhausted and out of food and drinking water after the long journey,” said Alarm Phone in a tweet, adding that, “they ask for urgent rescue!”. Meanwhile, the Ngo SeaWatch accused the Maltese authorities of giving orders to a merchant vessel to continue with its voyage despite a boat with 25 migrants who are in distress in the Mediterranean risking drowning. This was also confirmed by the Ngo Alarm Phone saying that the 25 migrants on board are already fetching water out of the boat. SeaWatch tweeted that the merchant ship Merv Marseille operated by Maersk was originally on its way to the boat but was ordered by Malta to move on. It also said that two other merchant ships were close to the boat in distress and were ordered to move on by Malta’s rescue coordination center. SeaWatch alerted the authorities that migrants are drowning and accused the European Union of not only does not rescue but actively preventing it.
(ITALPRESS).

Photo Credits: www.agenziafotogramma.it

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Since Russia’s occupation of Ukraine in February 2022, Malta has granted 1,888 Temporary Protection Certificates to persons fleeing the war. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, of these, 263 were granted between January and April 2023. Most of the applicants for the temporary protection in 2023 have been Ukrainian nationals, except for two persons – one adult female and one adult male from Russia. The Unhcr said that women and children account for about 75% of the certificates issued during 2023, and 62% of adult males are over 35 years old. The escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine caused civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forcing people to flee their homes and seek safety abroad. More than 14 million people have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numbers published by the United Nations show. Of whom, almost seven million are left for neighbouring countries, while eight million people are displaced inside Ukraine itself. (ITALPRESS).

Photo Credits: www.agenziafotogramma.it

Source: medNews