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LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/NNA) – A large crowd of protesters carrying Maltese and EU flags, and holding placards lambasting the “theft” of the public hospitals gathered outside the Parliament in Valletta. The protest was called by the Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech over the damning public hospitals’ inquiry and the subsequent filing of criminal charges against several top officials, including former prime minister Joseph Muscat, former Health Minister Konrad Mizzi, former Finance Minister and Malta’s Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna and former Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne. As soon as government’s MPs exited parliament behind police barriers and made their way up a side street away from the crowd, PN supporters loudly jeered and chanted “mafia, mafia” at Labour MPs. Nationalist Leader Bernard Grech told protesters that Prime Minister Robert Abela is attacking the “bastions” of democracy. “He has been attacking three institutions at once – journalists, the parliamentary process and the judiciary. What do these institutions have in common? They are the three democratic institutions which cannot be controlled by him,” he said. He added “for the prime minister and the speaker, parliament is not the country’s highest institution but a bunker from where they cannot hear the democratic cries”. The protest was called after Grech declared that the Opposition would resort to ‘parliamentary disobedience’ after two rulings by the speaker denying the Opposition’s request for the immediate publication of the criminal inquiry and an urgent debate on the accusations facing the deputy prime minister Chris Fearne, who then resigned last Friday. Yesterday the Parliament’s Speaker rejected for the third time a request by Opposition leader Bernard Grech for an urgent debate on the prime minister’s failure to sack Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna who faces criminal charges concerning the hospitals deal and the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, who is also facing serious criminal charges in what it’s being described an unprecedented situation for the country. While former PM Muscat will be charged over fraud and corruption on 28 May, former ministers Chris Fearne and Edward Scicluna will be criminally charged in court the following day. While addressing the crowd, the Leader of the Opposition declared, “on June 8 it is not Abela who will tell you what to do. Rather, you can tell him what he should do,” with reference to the scheduled MEP and local councils elections. He added if it were up to the Labour government, the hospitals deal would have never been annulled. “It was thanks to the Nationalist Party that the government was forced to pull out of the deal and it was thanks to NGO Repubblika that a magisterial inquiry was carried out.” The Vitals case has dominated headlines since the magistrate concluded her four-year inquiry into the government’s grant of a concession for the management of three state hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare in 2015. Vitals later transferred the concession to Steward Healthcare and the concession was declared null by Malta’s highest court in February after finding fraud. Yesterday, it was revealed that Steward Healthcare is planning to sell off all its hospitals after announcing this week that it filed for bankruptcy protection hoping to finalize transactions by the end of the summer to address its $9 billion in total liabilities.

(ITALPRESS).

Foto: Net News

LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – An Italian boy is fighting for his life after he fell into a private swimming pool.
Investigators said that the six-year-old boy was seriously injured and almost drowned on Monday afternoon. The accident happened at 2.15pm in a residence in St. Andrew’s road, Swieqi, in the Northern region of the island.
The Italian boy was given first aid on site and then taken to Mater Dei Hospital for further treatment. He was certified as having sustained serious injuries.
A magisterial inquiry is underway while the police are still investigating the incident.
-photo Agenzia Fotogramma-
(ITALPRESS)

MALTA (LA VALLETTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The European Union Ambassador to Libya, Nicola Orlando, has called for the protection of Libyan cultural heritage from looting, trafficking, and vandalism. Orlando inaugurated an international conference on the protection of Libyan cultural heritage in Tripoli, with the participation of 20 experts from five European countries. Among the participants were archaeological missions, and representatives from law enforcement agencies from Italy, in cooperation with the Department of Antiquities and Tourist Police of the Ministry of Interior. “Libyan cultural heritage is extraordinary. It belongs to all Libyans and to humanity. It represents our rich, common Mediterranean roots. Its economic and employment potential is remarkable,” he said. “This is why together we must protect it from looting, trafficking and vandalism,” he added. He emphasised that the European Union and its member states are proud of their partnership to protect and preserve Libyan cultural heritage, contributing to national unity and reconciliation. (ITALPRESS).

Foto: Ufficio Ambasciatore UE in Libia

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Libya and Tunisia agree to increase the consultation and coordination at both regional and international levels, particularly concerning the challenges of irregular migration and human trafficking. The emphasis was on a collaborative approach to address these pervasive issues that affect both nations. This follows a high-level meeting between Nabil Ammar, the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, and Taher Salem, who is in charge of managing the Libyan Foreign Ministry under the Government of National Unity (GNU). This meeting underscores the ongoing commitment between Tunisia and Libya to work together on critical regional issues, including enhancing security measures and tackling the complex challenges posed by migration patterns in North Africa. Earlier this month, Algerian Interior Minister Ibrahim Murad announced that Algeria has agreed with Libya and Tunisia on a joint approach to develop border regions as part of efforts to combat irregular migration. This agreement was revealed during a quadripartite meeting held in Rome, Italy, chaired by Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and attended by Imad al-Trabulsi of Libya’s Temporary National Unity Government and Tunisian Interior Minister Kamel Feki. The German NGO Sea-Watch International is reporting that the Tunisian National Guard is being accused of deliberately leading to the capsize of a boat with 42 migrants on April, 5. 16 migrants lost their lives, while survivors spoke about the brutal actions of the Tunisian authorities. Meanwhile, the Libyan authorities said that the Oil Crescent Security Directorate had thwarted an attempt to smuggle 33 illegal immigrants on the seashore in the Al-Arasa area, west of the city of Brega. Two boats and four cars were seized, which were used to transport immigrants from the desert roads to the seashore. Two Libyans and an Egyptian smuggling boat captain were arrested, as well as two Palestinians and a Mauritanian involved in an attempt to smuggle immigrants, most of whom hold Egyptian nationality. (ITALPRESS).

Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese deputy prime minister Chris Fearne has presented his resignation from the Labour government’s Cabinet, following the criminal charges filed against him on the controversial privatisation of three state hospitals that have inundated the Labour administration.

Fearne is set to be charged with misappropriation, obtaining money or property by false pretences and other fraudulent gain. All charges are aggravated by damages over €5,000, although the exact amounts are not yet known, and the fraud is said to have taken place at the government’s expense.

Chris Fearne, also Labour’s deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, has also resigned from the post of deputy Prime Minister as well as minister for reforms.

In his letter of resignation, he also informed the Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela that he was withdrawing his nomination for European Commissioner.

“I am resigning with immediate effect from the posts of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Government. Having the same respect for European institutions I also ask that my nomination to the College of European Commissioners be withdrawn. My solitary and humble hope is that the judicial process to clear my name is expeditious. If, upon its conclusion, the country calls on me to serve again, it shall find me ready,” Fearne said in his letter of resignation to Robert Abela.

Fearne is insisting on his innocence, noting that though he did not know the contents of the inquiry, he knew what he did and did not do. He also quoted the findings of the National Audit Office in its damning assessment of the concession that was ultimately cancelled as fraudulent by the courts, and which found that Fearne was being kept away from any significant involvement in proceedings.

– Photo Department of Information Malta –

(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS) – Maltese Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of European Funds and Maltàs candidate for European Commissioner following June elections Chris Fearne is facing a number of fraud accusations in connection to the criminal inquiry on the privatization of three state hospitals.
Fearne is set to be charged with misappropriation, obtaining money or property by false pretences and other fraudulent gain. The same charges applies to the Central Bank governor and former finance minister Edward Scicluna, and a number of senior government officials.
The political futures of European commissioner nominee Chris Fearne and central bank governor Edward Scicluna who is also a member of the ECB’s governing council are in danger after the publication of the criminal charges.
The revelation comes just hours after it was confirmed that charges were being issued against former prime minister Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, along with 12 other individuals and 8 companies, with Muscat, Mizzi and Schembri are facing charges of bribery, money laundering and criminal association among other charges. The court is being asked by the magistrate to impose a freezing order to around €30 million each on Muscat, Mizzi and Schembri.
Nationalist MEP David Casa has warned deputy prime minister Chris Fearne of the “difficult test” he has to face before assuming his role as EU Commissioner due to his inaction of the hospitals’ concession.
“Before Fearne starts packing for Brussels, he should remember that the position of Commissioner is not automatic but depends on a test before the European Parliament,” Casa wrote. Casa added, “he has nine months to undo what he did given his role in the corrupt hospitals’ deal and make sure that the €400 million are recovered.”

photo: DOI

(ITALPRESS).

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Improving living conditions in poor countries in the Middle East and Africa through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect with Western economies. This is the goal of Kamel Ghribi, not only as a successful investor but also as a person building ties between his home country, Tunisia, Africa, the Middle East, and the world.
The chairman of the GKSD Investment Holding group is involved in various countries in highway, airport, healthcare, and other infrastructure projects. In Tunisia, his homeland, he also promotes exports on international markets, as Financial Afrik recalls in a long article dedicated to him. His main objective is to transform Tunis into a center for industries and target its products to the rest of the African and Middle Eastern markets.

Born into a modest Tunisian family with nine brothers and sisters, he learned international business from his father, a businessman from Sfax. After the sudden death of the latter, he took over the reins and developed the activities thanks to the experience and expertise inherited from his father. At twenty-nine, he was appointed vice president of the Olympic Petroleum Corporation in New York and served as President of Olympic Management in Italy. In 1994 he became CEO of Olympic Energy, a European-based holding company active in the energy sector. He also served as president of Attock Oil Company before it was sold in 2005. Currently, his main ambition is to foster the creation of an adequate economic climate, capable of improving living conditions in the Middle East and Africa through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect with Western economies. For Ghribi, only by strengthening cooperation and dialogue with the most developed nations, it will be possible to promote the reconstruction of poor economies and fragmented societies.

He is also committed to this task in Libya and has provided advice to entrepreneurs and
governments, such as Kenya under former president Uhuru Kenyatta.

From Sfax to the small elite of international finance, GKSD has an extremely diversified portfolio, ranging from healthcare and legal and tax consultancy to engineering.
Ghribi is vice president of the San Donato Hospital Group (GSD), Italy’s largest private hospital group. After the earthquake that hit Syria, Ghribi and his group decided, in coordination with the Italian authorities, to send medical equipment, including
ambulances, to participate in the rescue operations.

He has also signed partnership agreements with the Egyptian state to invest in the healthcare sector and other sectors. “As a Tunisian and Arab proud of my origins, I consider Egypt as the heart of Arabism, the gateway to Africa and the bridge between past and future, and Tunisia as the cradle of history, culture, arts, and homeland, which deserves all the support, especially at this time,” he said in an interview with the Kapitalis newspaper,
underlining the importance of “strengthening historical ties between the poles of the Mediterranean so that the two forces can meet again and unite to chart a unique future for the North African region and the Mediterranean basin”. For this reason, the leader in the industry believes it is necessary to establish a bridge between Egypt and Tunisia, to be exploited further in Arab-Mediterranean cooperation.

– Photo GKSD –

(ITALPRESS).

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese former prime minister Joseph Muscat declared that he is ready to answer any question related to the criminal inquiry over the privatization of three public hospitals.
In a Facebook post, Muscat revealed that he has written to Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa asking to call him for questioning. “I have nothing to hide, and have no qualms with being transparent… I wrote to the police commissioner and told him to call me in as soon as possible and as soon as he has the conclusions of the Attorney General on the hospitals’ inquiry, answer any question he may have and show the facts,” he said. Muscat added, “this is a political vendetta against me and my family. I will remain determined that the truth will come out,” he added.
It was revealed last Tuesday that a magisterial inquiry into Muscat and other ministers’ role in the Vitals deal to privatise three state hospitals had been concluded.
Meanwhile, along with former Minister Konrad Mizzi and former Chief of Staff at the Office of the PM, Keith Schembri, who are expected to be arraigned on money laundering charges, the Maltese media is reporting that Deputy prime minister Chris Fearne and former finance minister Edward Scicluna, today occupying the post of Governer at the Central Bank of Malta are among others who are likely to face charges related to the Vitals hospital deal following the conclusion of the inquiry by senior magistrate Gabriella Vella. According to the reports, Fearne and Scicluna would be charged of complicity in fraud and money laundering, but not with money laundering directly.
Yesterday Fearne said that he was not worried since he had no doubt that the courts could only find him innocent of any wrongdoing.
Maltese Prime minister Robert Abela, meanwhile, said that even criminal charges against a cabinet minister would not be sufficient for resignation. Abela continued to be critical of magistratès conduct, insisting that magistrates should not make “political judgments”.

– Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).