Spain solves Malta-Italy standoff

The standoff between Malta and Italy over 629 migrants stranded at sea on the Aquarius ended when Spain offered to accept them. The precarious situation began when Italy’s new right-wing Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, said his country’s ports would be shut to the migrants, insisting they should go to Malta. Malta refused, saying it had nothing to do with the rescue mission and the migrants should be taken to the nearest port, which was Lampedusa. The dispute strained relations between Malta and Italy, with Five Star MPs walking out of the Sicilian Parliament during an address by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. In this picture, crew members from the Aquarius rescue a migrant vessel. PHOTO: REUTERS

What made the headlines

Greek appeals court says no to Efimova extradition: Pilatus Bank whistleblower Maria Efimova will not be extradited to Malta, a Greek appeals court ruled. The Russian national fled Malta last year and a European and international arrest warrant was issued when she failed to turn up for court hearings over charges of fraud and filing a false police report. Ms Efimova was behind Daphne Caruana Galizia’s allegations that Panama company Egrant was owned by the Prime Minister’s wife, Michelle Muscat, which the Muscats strongly denied. She turned herself in Greece in March and a court in Athens ruled in April that she should not be sent to Malta due to concerns for her safety. The decision was then appealed by prosecutors.

EP president calls for Guardia di Finanza to be included in Daphne investigation: European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said the Italian Guardia di Finanza should be included in the investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder “so they may follow all the financial avenues”. The Guardia di Finanza is a militarised police force responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling. Portuguese MEP Ana Gomes, who has visited Malta as part of an EP delegation looking into the rule of law in Malta, welcomed the news, saying such involvement “may be needed”. She also called for Italian anti-Mafia prosecutors to be involved in the investigation.

Ferris says rejection of status as whistleblower ‘illegal’: Former FIAU official Jonathan Ferris initiated legal action against the authorities, claiming their failure to grant him whistleblower status was illegal. His application came after the External Whistleblower Unit within the OPM ruled that Mr Ferris’s request would not be accepted because he had “failed to adhere to the dispositions of Protection of the Whistleblower Act”. Mr Ferris claims he was fired from the FIAU because he had dug too deep into government corruption allegations in the course of his investigations.

Counterfeit goods costing economy €82 million: Counterfeit goods cost the economy €82 million last year, a new report found. According to the EU’s Intellectual Property Office, fake goods were also costing about 600 Maltese jobs. The Customs Department said the lost sales were calculated across 13 types of products – and worked out to just over 10 per cent of total sales. According to the report the economic loss across the EU was estimated at a staggering €59 billion.

Judge says doubts about Deputy Police Commissioner ‘legitimate’: Mr Justice Silvio Meli ruled it was only natural that “legitimate doubts” had arisen over investigations into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination given the involvement of Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta. Judge Meli ordered Mr Valletta, married to Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana, to desist from taking part in the police investigation. The decision followed a court application by the slain journalist’s family, who insisted Mr Valletta had a conflict of interest both because of his marriage to Dr Caruana and in view of his role as a board member of the FIAU.

Chinese firm recruiting pilots for Air Malta: A Chinese recruitment agency has been hired to engage temporary captains and first officers for Air Malta, the Times of Malta revealed. As the national carrier dealt with disruptions, flight delays and cancellations in recent weeks it offered captains accepting a three- to six-month contract €10,000 a month plus free accommodation for their families and utility allowances. First officers are being offered €5,000 a month, aside from perks such as free accommodation, free flights for their families and lucrative bonuses.

Infringement proceedings warning from EU Commissioner: An investigation by the European Banking Authority into the monitoring of Pilatus Bank could lead to infringement proceedings against Malta, European Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová said. The EBA is investigating the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit for breaches of anti-money-laundering laws over possible failures to act after it found deficiencies at Pilatus. Addressing a local press conference, Ms Jourová said there were gaps in Malta’s implementation of the EU’s latest anti-money-laundering laws.

What trended

The benefits of the free market

The discovery that a Turkish roadworks firm won the €40m tender for the Marsa junction project went down like a lead balloon with a consortium of local contractors, who paid €50,000 to appeal the decision and ask authorities to disqualify Ayhanlar... because it is not European.

That appeal prompted Ayhanlar to denounce Maltese contractors for their “evident xenophobia” and “arrogance”. And it would appear Times of Malta readers are four-square behind the Turkish firm.

“Well done to Ayhanlar,” wrote one reader. “Hopefully this will see the start of the collapse of the ‘controlled’ market for infrasturctural works in this country.”

That notion – of local roadworks being controlled by a “cartel” of contractors anxious not to do too good a job on local roads – cropped up time and time again.

“Before complaining, the Maltese contractors should first and foremost start respecting the Maltese public regarding road and pedestrian safety, dust and other numerous issues,” wrote one man. “I sincerely hope this will open the floodgates,” agreed another. “The Maltese taxpayer has [in the past] ended with abusive, huge cost overruns and white elephants.”

Turkey’s track record on roadworks boded well for the Marsa project, another reader noted: “Turkish companies built some excellent roads in Ireland. That’s the free market folks – the taxpayer wins!”

Dark forces at work

A Eurostat survey released this week found Maltese dwellings were among the most under-occupied in the EU – in effect meaning that many people have plenty of room to spare at home.

Readers immediately latched on to the country’s ongoing (and much maligned) building boom.

“Better than living in the rabbit hutches that are being built,” argued one. “Do the research in 10 years’ time. We’ll surely get a different result,” snorted another.

The survey was EU-wide and measured dwelling under- and over-occupancy across all the EU Member States. But many readers just couldn’t seem to help themselves in imagining darker forces pulling the strings.

One implied “a contractor” had paid for the article to be published, while another performed an intellectual somersault and asked whether this was all a ploy to encourage locals to “give rooms to refugees”. Another reader wrote: “Central planners want to dictate our living space.”

At least there was one reader who took in the news with a philosophical perspective: “What an enigma we are,” they sighed. “Living on the most crowded nation on earth, yet living in the least crowded of premises.” 

What they said

“I won’t let the current situation fan the flames of racism in our country.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat appealing for calm as Malta and Italy argued over who should take in 629 migrants stranded in the Mediterranean.

“There are 70,000 people in poverty, and meanwhile people are going abroad and using public workers to build their veranda.”

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia criticising the government for wasting taxpayers’ money as thousands of people struggle to make ends meet.

“If the Maltese are not willing or able to do so, they just need to say so, modify the search and rescue area and we will take it, along with the funds.”

Italian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toni-nelli, a member of the Five Star Movement, claiming Malta had received hefty funding to patrol its sizeable search and rescue area, which was patrolled by Italian vessels.

“Differences on issues at a pol-itical level should never be allowed to affect good diplomatic relations. The friendship between the Maltese and Italian people remains as strong as ever.”

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca playing down the walkout as she was about to address the Sicilian Parliament by Five Star MPs over the Aquarius episode

“Criminals love loopholes. They will always use them.”

European Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová urging the Maltese authorities to do more to improve the country’s anti-money-laundering systems.

“There are EU countries that have done nothing to help Italy and Malta, and we have been going on about this for years.”

Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola speaking during a debate in the European Parliament about humanitarian emergencies in the Mediterranean.