On the eve of the World Cup in Brazil, the Government yesterday announced it had bought a new property in Sao Paolo, the country’s largest city, to serve as a new Maltese consulate in South America.

Newly appointed gov-ernment spokesman Carmelo Abela made the announcement following a Cabinet meeting. Mr Abela said that Malta had been looking to establish a diplomatic presence in South America and the property was selected following the submission of a list by two Brazilian agencies.

Mr Abela said details of the price paid would be given later but underlined that 80 per cent would be from EU funds available for such initiatives.

Giving details of a number of decisions taken by the Cabinet yesterday, Mr Abela said that a new labour policy had been approved which includes a number of measures aimed at tackling youth unemployment.

New literacy agency will focus on tackling problem of jobless youths

He said that since 2009, Malta had experienced increasing levels of jobless youths who were not in any form of training or education.

Figures for 2011 showed 11.1 per cent of those under 25 were in this segment and the government intended to reverse the trend.

He said that a decision had also been taken to set up a new literacy agency which could focus on tackling this problem.

A first draft of a new law aimed at stiffening penalties related to criminal offences committed on the elderly was also approved and the government intended to pass the law before Parliament rose for the summer recess, he said.

Asked about the recent rumours that former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was being given protection in Malta, the spokesman once again dismissed this and said the government had no intention of giving any sort of protection to politicians who fled their county.

However, he said it was not in the national interest to unveil the identity of the person who was being protected by the police while staying at a Xemxija apartment.