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LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Labour government Minister Carmelo Abela was summoned by the police for questioning in connection to a failed heist on the HSBC headquarters in 2010. He stated that he answered every question “because I have nothing to hide and I want the whole truth to come out”.
Minister Abela has been implicated as an accomplice in the 2010 HSBC heist by State witness Vince Muscat, who was sentenced to jail for 15 years after admitting to murdering maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia after reaching a plea bargain agreement.
Last year, Muscat told investigators that one of the accomplices in the heist had provided the robbers mobile phone footage of the route they had to take to get to the bank’s control room.
But Abela has categorically denied the accusations and refused to resign from the Cabinet of Ministers, at least until his name is cleared. In a matter of few weeks, Minister Carmelo Abela has gone from denying ever being questioned by police over the foiled bank heist in 2010, to not recalling ever being questioned.
However, early this week it was revealed that in February 2011, the then Opposition Labour MP was summoned as a witness by the prosecution in their case against the alleged robbers. In his testimony, held behind closed doors at his own request, Abela not only admitted having access to equipment that produced access cards for HSBC Bank’s main office in Qormi but he also testified that he would use the cotag machine if his work colleague was on leave or sick leave. Abela who worked in the bank’s insurance department, had testified that if the need arose he would also take care of other matters linked to the department, including the security section.
Abela has sued Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi for libel over claims that he was promised 300,000 to be the would-be robbers’ inside man.
(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta maintained its first place in the ILGA-Europe index for the sixth consecutive year. The index analyzes the human rights situation of LGBTIQ people in 49 countries across Europe.
The report shows that Malta not only remained at the top of this ranking with a total of 94 points but was among the countries that continued to strengthen their place in this index. Malta has gained five more points followng last year’s new guidelines for LGBTI people seeking asylum and for the recognition of non-binary people and for legal procedures for gender recognition for minors.
The report was published by ILGA-Europe on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). Malta has achieved a maximum score of one hundred percent in five of the six categories that include the situation in the family, the crime of hatred and the laws against hate speech, legal knowledge of gender and integrity and space in civil society and asylum. Malta has achieved 75% in the areas of equality and non-discrimination.
In the last 8 years, Malta has made giant strides in the field of civil liberties with the introduction of a substantial number of laws, including civil union and adoption by gay people and equal marriage, law on gender identity, gender expression and gender characteristics and the law on cohabitation.
The report shows that Malta was followed by Belgium with 74.24% and Luxembourg with almost 72%.
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said that over the past year, Malta has continued to strengthen its score over the past years and is committed to further improving this score in the coming years.
(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Independent parlamenterian Marlene Farrugia tabled a private members bill to amend the Criminal Code which criminalises induced miscarriage under all circumstances.
In a totally unexpected move, Farrugia called for the decriminalisation of abortion despite previously describing herself as pro-life. “Women should live in a society which respects their rights,” Farrugia said as she called on the “so-called progressive Labour government to eliminate the stigma associated with women’s reproductive rights”. She added women should never be penalised for trying to safeguard their own health while insisting that no medical professional should face criminal action for offering such medical assistance.
The Criminal Code recognises induced miscarriage as a criminal offence punishable by up to three and four years of imprisonment – for a pregnant woman and a medical practitioner respectively. However, this has not prevented hundreds of abortions yearly from taking place outside of the country particulary in Italy and United Kingdom.
Ina brief statement, the Opposition Nationalist Party said it “believes in the most absolute way in life from conception to death and therefore can never be in favour of decriminalising abortion.” The statement added that the PN is in favour of taking the necessary measures in favour of everyonès sexual health without endangering the life of the child both before and after birth. Before being elected Nationalist Party leader, Bernard Grech had said he would resign if abortion is put on the Parliamentary agenda when he is Prime Minister.
All political parties in Malta are officially anti-abortion, however in recent months a number of politicians and exponents have broken ranks.
Although former Labour prime minister Joseph Muscat pronounced himself against abortion, after leaving office in January 2020, he said that women should have the right to choose in certain circumstances.
However, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that he would oppose his predecessor if Muscat had the intention to push for the legalisation of abortion.
Moreover last year, Maltese European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli reaffirmed her “commitment to ensuring women and girls have access to health and medical care including sexual reproductive rights”.
Labour MEP, Cyrus Engerer, also broke ranks with the political class’ traditional refusal to support reproductive rights.
Apart from Vatican City, Malta is the only country in Europe which criminalises abortion under any circumstances. Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna stressed that the mother’s womb is a dear place and not of death.
In recent years, although abortion remains a taboo subject for many, the issue has been brought forward by a small but resolute pro-choice lobby. In 2018, the Women’s Rights Foundation called for abortion to be legalised in circumstances where it is necessary to save a woman’s life, preserve a woman’s physical and mental health, in cases of rape and incest, and when there is fatal impairment of the foetus.
However, the anti-abortion and pro-life camp is unwavering in its belief that abortion should remain illegal in Malta. In recent months, more than 670 doctors signed a declaration making known their anti-abortion stand.
(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is expected to reach herd immunity in its fight against the coronavirus in the coming weeks. This was confirmed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne while addressing the Maltese parliament. Thus, the target date for herd immunity – which is expected to occur when 70% of the Maltese population is vaccination – has been moved forward. Originally expected to take place in September, this milestone is now set to be reached “in the coming weeks.”
Chris Fearne emphasised that Maltàs vaccination strategy was well ahead of schedule. He revealed that registration for the Covid-19 vaccine is set to be opened to everyone aged 16 and up later this month. 70% would soon receive at least the first dose of the vaccine, Fearne recalled, emphasising that this also offered a measure of protection.
While Malta is registering almost less than 10 positive cases each day, the government announced the easing easing of more Covid-19 restrictive measures. The Health Minister said that the easing of measures is dependent on maintaining low numbers of new cases. However mask wearing remains essential and mandatory, but from June, 1 masks wearing will not be mandatory at the beach.
He explained that the easing of measures will happen gradually and spread out over the next few weeks.
As from May 10, restaurants and snack bars started to open until 5pm with maximum four people at each table and restrictions on non-essential travel between Malta and Gozo has been removed. Professional contact sports have been resumed as well as all extracurricular activities. Open markets in village centres are permitted to open too.
From May 24, restaurants and snack bars will be allowed to open until midnight, pools can reopen until 8pm for swimming only and gyms can reopen but no classes will be allowed. Day centres for the elderly will reopen in two weeks time.
From June 1, language schools can open doors to foreign students and weddings can also be held, with a maximum of 100 people indoors and 300 outdoors.
From June 7, all social clubs can reopen but customers must be seated. Betting parlours, casinos, cinemas and theatres can reopen too while restaurants and snack bars can increase the number of people on each table from 4 to 6.
On mass activities, the Health Minister said these are not a priority and indicated that village feasts will have to be scaled down this year. Mass events will not be allowed to take place unless it is absolutely certain that these will not have a negative impact.
While Malta will open for tourism as from June 1, Germany announced that it will no longer consider Malta as a Covid-19 risk area. However, contrary to what was expected, Malta is not included in the UK’s green list, meaning the countries that English tourists can freely travel to without having to quarantine on their return.
Meanwhile, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela proposed using the vaccine certificates which health authorities will be issuing in the coming weeks as a pilot project ahead of the introduction of an EU-wide Green Digital Certificate.
Addressing an informal EU council meeting, Abela said the Green Digital Certificate is an important tool for the tourist summer season, particularly for countries such as Malta which depend on the free movement of people. While explaining that Maltese health authorities will be introducing vaccine certificate to facilitate travel, Abela told his fellow EU leaders that this could serve as a pilot project before the introduction of the Green Digital Certificate.
Abela is currently in self-isolation after his wife Lydia contracted Covid-19.
(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has passed the Moneyval assessment after it addressed previous shortcomings in its anti-money laundering regime. The anti-money laundering expert committee within the Council of Europe approved a final report on Malta in a vote.
In 2019, Maltàs anti-money laundering regime failed a review by Moneyval. It was subsequently given just over a year to address a series of shortcomings in its anti-money laundering efforts.
Maltàs financial laws and their enforcement have been scrutinized by the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism since the start of 2018.
The government has since introduced a number of reforms and made changes across various regulatory bodies. Furthermore, there has been heavy investment in the policès economic crimes unit. The Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit and the Malta Financial Services Authority have also undergone change with more investment in legal and operational resources.
Malta will now have to face the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which is an intergovernmental organisation set up to combat money laundering. Since the beginning of the year, Malta began engaging with the task force ahead of a week-long visit scheduled for May.
This development could mean that Malta could eventually avoid being greylisted by FATF.
The report by Moneyval will be published later on this year.
The business community in Malta has welcomed favourably that the Council of Europès anti-money laundering expert committee has voted in favour of approving a final report on Malta and said that it is imperative to ensure continued observance of the anti-money laundering measures whilst ensuring the processes adopted, do not impose disproportionate bureaucratic burdens on the financial services industry.
(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela and enterprise minister Miriam Dalli announced a new €20 million aid package for businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abela said the packagès objectives are to assist businesses in paying rent, utility bills and covering other costs and to incentivise investment and growth.
Dalli augured that the direct support measures intended to inject liquidity and the incentives aimed at stimulating economic activity will in the long-term encourage companies to adopt sustainable business models.
The €20 million aid package include an extension of rent schemes by 50% over and above assistance provided in 2020; the electricity support scheme, subsidising 50% of bills, will be re-issued covering June – August 2021; a €1,000 grant for businesses that will remain closed after 10 May; a restart incentive scheme that will cover advisory costs up to €5,000 and up to €10,000 to support implementation of new business initiatives; additional 20% support in the form of tax credits; extension of the period by which the €78.4 million tax credits already awarded can be utilized; Incisive aid intensity in the form of cash grants up to €50,000 and an extension of tax certificates due for expiry in 2021-23 by three years.
Prime Minister Robert Abela declared that so far, the Maltese government have forked out almost half a billion euros to help businesses and ensure that no jobs are lost. He added that this includes €455 million in wage supplements which benefitted some 100,000 workers, which amounts to half of the workforce in the private sector.
Pointing out that Malta is one of only three EU countries which registered a growth in employment, Abela said the country was on the road of recovery and hoped that in the coming weeks “people can not only get on with their jobs but also enjoy their lives.”
According to Abela, the forecasts for summer are positive, adding that “the number of bookings is encouraging. A few weeks ago, he had warned that the country would not survive another summer without tourists, however he today sounded an optimistic note. “I believe wèll have a good summer, a very good summer,” he said. Noting that travellers in Europe and elsewhere are weighing up their options, Abela said it is imperative to make Malta a safe destination to attract tourists who haven’t made their mind up yet.
(ITALPRESS).

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Restaurants and snack bars will partially reopen across Malta on May, 10 in a boost for coronavisrus-hit businesses as the number of COVID-19 infections remains under control. However, they will be only allowed to reopen for lunch until 5pm and a maximum of four individuals per table will be allowed.
This was confirmed by Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela as he announced the easing of further restrictive measures which are aimed to limit the transmission of coronavirus within the community. The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association said that the re-opening of restaurants for lunch only does not make business sense for the majority of restaurants.
From today, all non-essential shops and services, as well as all museums have reopened. Four people can gather in public and people from four different households can gather in private residences. It is being requested that masks are to be worn at the beach.
However, mass events will not resume once the country reopens to tourism on June, 1. There is no date yet when bars, social clubs and gyms will reopen, and English language schools have been deemed high risk and there is no date yet for their reopening.
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that the vaccine certificate will come into force in May and this would facilitate traveling. Malta is expected to enter into bilateral agreements with non-EU countries in order to recognize the certificates and exempt travelers from quarantine in case of full vaccination. The authorities are insisting that as from June 1, passengers have to present either the certificate or a negative PCR test to be allowed to board a plane to Malta, otherwise they would be barred from boarding. At present, 30% of the passengers arriving in Malta do not have the test.
Malta has 422 active cases while 413 lost their life due to the pandemic. Until Sunday, the health authorities administered over 313,279 vaccine doses with 100,686 being the second dose.
(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese health authorities confirmed the first cases of the Brazilian COVID-19 variant. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne said that three cases of the Brazilian variant have been found in Malta, all of which were brought in by people coming to Malta. The three cases are currently in quarantine.
The total number of active cases in Malta stands at 519. No new deaths were registered in the past 24 hours. So far, 411 lost their life due to the pandemic.
Deputy Prime Minister Fearne announced that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has been granted approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and will start to be used in Malta.
Fearne said by the end of the week over 300,000 vaccinations would have been administered, with two-thirds of those aged between 50 and 59 already receiving the first dose. He also explained that so far around 90% of people aged 60 and over have been vaccinated. People over 40 can register for the Covid-19 vaccine from this Friday.
Chris Fearne also announced that if the numbers of cases reported daily and the numbers of people admitted to Mater Dei Hospital remain low and stable, it will be possible to relax a number of measures from next Monday.
Non-essential shops, museums and non-essential services will be reopened while the number of people allowed to gather in public will increase to four. Gatherings in private residences will allow people from a maximum of four different households.
The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association is insisting that restaurants should be reopened on Monday along with other non-essential shops, including hotel restaurants which are presently not permitted to serve breakfasts to their guests.
The association is also insisting that tourism sector workers should be prioritized for vaccination against Covid-19, and that all should be vaccinated before Malta reopens for tourism in June.
(ITALPRESS).