€10 million community greening grant for 16 neglected areas

May 23 2023

Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that Project Green will be spending €10 million through a Community Greening Scheme which will go towards rehabilitating neglected areas and woodlands all over the islands.

16 projects were announced for the scheme which are set to create new green spaces which also include educative and sport amenities for the public to utilise.

The announcement was also attended by Environment Minister Miriam Dalli along with Project Green CEO Steve Ellul, who detailed the 16 projects.

The projects will total 80,000 metres squared of land transformed into green open spaces within 10 minutes of the public’s residences.

So far, 72 applications were received for the grant, with 16 sites identified for completion by the year 2025. Local councils, NGOs, schools and different organisations all proposed projects for the grant.

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Higher restaurant prices drove up food index inflation in April

May 23 2023

In April 2023, the largest upward impact on annual inflation was registered in the Food Index at 2.20% points, largely due to the higher prices of restaurant services.

This was reported by the National Statistics Office, which reported how the second and third largest impacts were measured in the Housing Index (+0.81 percentage points) and the Transport and Communication Index (+0.56 percentage points).

This was mainly due to the higher prices of house maintenance services and air fares. On the other hand, a downward impact was noted in the Clothing and footwear index (-0.08 percentage points), mainly due to lower prices of garments.

Full report here.

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President Metsola meets Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg

May 23 2023

Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg had an important bilateral meeting with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola in Brussels.

During this meeting, a number of important issues, as well as priorities for our country, were discussed in the European Union context.

Since about a year is left for the European Parliament elections, it was remarked how it is important that the peoples of Europe, including the Maltese and Gozitan, vote to elect the 6 Maltese representatives in the European Parliament.

Minister Ian Borg reminded how this is the only institution that is directly elected by the peoples of Europe and hence, it is very important that we choose those who will represent our country.

In his comments, Minister Ian Borg outlined that discussions during the meeting with President Metsola were about the challenges that the EU is facing, the role of the European Parliament and also the work that should be done in a more coordinated way between the three main institutions to carry out the reforms and initiatives that are needed for the time to come.

Minister Ian Borg concluded by saying that it was a very productive meeting and that he looks forward to more updates with President Metsola and even other meetings, in the near future, with the Presidents of the rest of the European institutions in order to continue to strengthen the Maltese voice.

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Alex Agius Saliba a finalist for MEP of the Year for 3rd consecutive year

May 23 2023

MEP Alex Agius Saliba just been shortlisted as a finalist for Best MEP of the Year for the third consecutive year by Parliament Magazine.

The Labour MEP and Vice-President of the Socialists and Democrats is well known for his work in the digital strategy which saw him lead the ‘single charger law’.

Agius Saliba is the only Maltese MEP nominated for this award, following an EU study ranking Maltese MEPs as the ones pushing most above their weight.

Taking to social media, the MEP expressed his gratitude at the honour and said that this continues to motivate him to work harder whilst representing Malta at the European Parliament.

#MaltaDaily