In 2013 the pension expenditure in Malta was lower than the EU average, or below 9.6% of GDP, but by 2060 it is expected to increase up to 12.8%, one of the highest figures in Europe. With this background, the European Commission expressed itself favorably to sustainable long-term retirement plan, drawn up by the Maltese government with the first measures proposed in the budget plan in 2016.

Already last year, the EU Commission  invited Malta to continue its reform of pensions in the course, with an increase in the retirement age and by linking it to changes in life expectancy, for greater long-term sustainability of the system.

Among the measures taken by the government is extending the number of years of contribution – 40 to 41 – are necessary to get the full pension. Furthermore, the reform provides for two measures: the increase of the minimum national pension up to 60% of median income (by 2020), and social security coverage for women who don’t accumulate sufficient contributions due to career breaks for pregnancy.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The construction of the red light railway line from Tel Aviv began only a few months ago and the government already thinks about the future of the next two lines, one green and one purple, imagining right now a private procedure to entrust building a private company.

According to sources of the economic newspaper Globes (see link at the bottom), the Executive doesn’t want that the story of the Red Line will be repeated again. In 2006, in fact, a private race was launched and was won by MTS, a consortium of companies Africa Israel, Siemens, Egged, Chinese and Portuguese Companies. MTS, however, was unable to ensure the fulfillment of the work according to the prices and times in the public-private tender BOT (Build Operate Transfer) which to date have soared to 2021 and to 16 billion from 11 initially budgeted and furthermore, it wasn’t able to be managed by 2010 to recover the share of necessary private funds. These were the reasons to withdraw the concession and leave the implementation work to NTA – a public company.

The construction of the two new lines should be allocated fairly according to the scheme PFI (Private Finance Initiative) where the economic contribution of the state is minimal and indeed, the latter retains a right of choice of the contractor even after the closure of the commissioning period when the work is tested and it’s ensured the compliance thereof with the provisions of the contract documents.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

According to preliminary data published by the Central Bank of Montenegro, in the period from January to November 2015, Montenegro has achieved an influx of foreign direct investments amounted to 670.8 million euro and an outflow of 97.4 million euro.

Net FDI, or the difference between influx and outflow of investments, amounted to 573.4 million euro, an increase of 79.7% over the same period last year.

FDI inflows in the form of capital investments (real estate or equity participation), amounted to 446 million euro, 66.5% overall inflow. Investments in the form of inter-corporate debt amounted to 218.5 million euro (32.6% total inflow).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

According to the Algerian Customs the amount of imported vehicles has decreased to 141.16 million dollars in January 2016 compared to 377.88 dollars in the same period of 2015; it’s a decline of 62.64%. The center

The Algerian National Statistics (CNIS) indicated that quantities of imported vehicles has been 9,309 units in January in 2016 compared to 27,497 units in the same period of 2015; it’s a decline of 66.15%.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The FAO in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in 2016 will create a unified register of farmers. The aim of this initiative is to provide the Ministry with technical support to create a database of Lebanese farmers – that is now available – in order to establish the criteria for classification of farmers and to better understand their needs. The FAO has indeed studied the industry in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and identified a number of structural weaknesses that must be overcome.

The classification of farmers will help to give them identity and will help the Ministry to know what kind of crops are practiced, how much land each farmer has available and also if they are owners or workers for others.

At a later stage, the FAO will conduct a feasibility study to see if it is economically and socially sustainable extend to farmers labor regulations and the NSSF (National Health System), and to quantify the funds to be allocated by the Government for this purpose. The FAO will also study the feasibility of setting up funds that can be recorded to the MoA, in place of NSSF.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

Do you want to know the secrets of diseases transmitted by ticks, or learning about toxoplasmosis? What can happen inside the human body when it contracts the Anisakis, after eating raw fish or poorly preserved? Institute Zoo- prophylactic “A. Mirri” in Palermo was born the first Biobank of the Mediterranean, a huge reservoir (warehouse) of tissue samples, bacteria, viral, parasitic and serums and pathological anatomical findings of sanitary interest, useful for biomedical research. In the laboratories of the Institute, which works for over 80 years, has collected a vast archive of biological material, properly stored to ensure their conservation over time. “Over the years, biobanks have become an important resource for biomedical research, since the availability of samples has allowed the development of scientific studies in relevant fields of medicine”, explains Annalisa Guercio-director of the virologic diagnostics. “Within our organization we have already presented biological resource centers or laboratories can provide, maintain and store precious material, but now there was created a centralized unit for the safe storage of biological materials”. To explain the history of the Biobank of the Mediterranean are the special commissioner, Salvatore Seminara and the medical director, Santo Caracappa: “The project is one of the institution’s objectives”.

The Institute Zoo- prophylactic of Sicily joined the first veterinary networks internationally recognized OIE, World Organisation for Animal Health. The researchers from all over the world, through the network software (http://biowarehouse.net) may with a single “click” the samples retained for the study of the major diseases of animals and those that can be transmitted to humans. Examples of available biological resources are the building materials of tick-borne diseases (Rickettsioses, anaplasmosis), international reference strains and standards for Leishmaniasis animals and even the Anisakis and Toxoplasma. The biobank of the Mediterranean is an indispensable tool, a resource made available to those working in the field of research and preventive medicine, there is consider that the animal reservoir is the main source of pathogens in the emergence of infectious diseases and the diffusive food safety.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

The 10th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) was inaugurated this morning during a ceremony addressed by Ilir Meta, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, Lhou Lmarbouh, PAM President. UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, also sent his customary message to the Assembly.

Parliamentarians from the National Assemblies of the PAM member states will have the opportunity to debate and exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as on the migration emergency and foreign terrorist fighters.

The meeting in Tirana will be dedicated to open debates on the future strategies and policies to be adopted by the Assembly. This exercise will facilitate PAM’s role in contributing effectively to the collective measures that the international community must undertake to face the many challenges of the Mediterranean region through the instruments offered by parliamentary diplomacy.

In addition to regional peace and security, the delegates will also tackle important themes such as the economic crisis, unemployment, climate change, water shortage, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, all elements necessary to counter violent extremism and ensure the promotion of political stability and socio-economic sustainable development.

Around 250 delegates, including high-level representatives from International Parliaments, the United Nations and other regional organisations, are participating and will also address the Plenary.

The first session of the Plenary was dedicated to the High-level debate on political developments and perspectives in the Mediterranean. The session was chaired by Mohammed Halaiqah, President of the PAM 1 st Standing Committee.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The pilot project of producing electricity from solar energy for the city of Nabeul and the Mrezga of the water treatment station was presented in Nabeul.

The project, whose development cost is estimated at about 3 million dinars (1.25 million euro), is co-financed by the European Union to the tune of 2.3 million dinars (975,000 euro).

Work began in April 2015 and will continue until March 2017 (duration 24 months). According to allegations made by Ms. Barbara Cosentino from the Institute for University Cooperation, which coordinates the project, this project forms part of the South-Tunisie SUDEP program launched by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and created for support the cities of the Southern Neighbourhood in the implementation of urban development projects involving the exploitation of renewable energies.

Ms. Cosentino said that the project has two components: the installation of two photovoltaic power plants (one near the town and the other near the water treatment plant) and the training of technical and administrative staff of the town of Nabeul and dell’Onas regional management. The project will enable the production of 347 megawatts of photovoltaic electricity per year.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The logistics sector of Tangier continues to attract foreign investors: after multinational Adidas and 3M, this time turn on French Decathlon Group, specializing in sporting goods, to undertake the management of warehouses for the handling of its products. By the end of 2016, in fact, Decathlon will carry out its logistics in the area dedicated to the Tanger Med port, called MedHub. It’s provided the use of an area of over 20,000 square meters of warehouses, which will be the logistics center of Decathlon in Tangier. It’ll be the second largest one in the world, after that of Singapore, which handles all the merchandise destined for Asian markets. Through the platform of Tangier, which initially will occupy 160 employees, Decathlon send their products to the markets of the Mediterranean and West Africa. As revealed by the Spanish press agency EFE, Decathlon would have selected between Tangiers ten alternative locations, but chose the Moroccan city thanks to the stability of the country, the number of ferry connections and the proximity of the logistics area at the cargo port. In the near future, Decathlon will assess the opening of another of identical size warehouse in an adjacent land.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

LThe Levant Investment Bank (LIBANK), Lebanese bank for private investment and manages a portfolio of investments of US $ 500 million, of which US $ 200 million for the Lebanese market and US $ 300 for the foreign market, bought investments in two IT companies (information technology) Lebanese: M media and Torch Sal, for a US $ 5.9 million, according to the circular 331 of the Lebanese Central Bank.

In the Torch in Sal, launched in December 2015, the LIBANK bought the 68% to US $ 3.4 million. The activity of this start-up focuses on programming, coding, mobile applications and cloud computing. It has for aim to help entrepreneurs develop new ideas for mobile applications and to educate them so that they transform their ideas into business ventures. It will offer scholarships to graduates. Finally, the Torch Sal connect entrepreneurs to financiers to help them develop their business.

In the M media, launched in 2012, the LIBANK bought 12.5% to US $ 2.5 million.

The M media is presented as a platform for the sale of e-books online. In 2016, they will be released 5 episodes and a film version of a play room. This platform is open to the entire Middle East region.

The LIBANK also bought a third software company, always according to Circular 331 of the Lebanese Central Bank. This company is developing a software program for banking services. This acquisition will become official after receiving approval from the Central Bank.

The LIBANK, which has a branch in London in charge of putting on the stock exchange the PMI. It was said that the same will be do in Lebanon if the Lebanese Central Bank will create the ETP platform (electronic trading platform). This platform will have for mission to provide liquidity to start-ups and the PMI that will put their actions on it.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews