Health officials created illusion of pandemic crisis hotelier decries

Mar 22 2022

Hotel owner Michael Zammit Tabona filed constitutional proceedings against the Superintendent for Public Health, saying that the quarantine requirement for Maltese residents returning from abroad without a booster dose breaches fundamental rights.

The Superintendent and the state were also accused of having created an illusion of a national health crisis and having ‘painted a very negative picture for the public’ and that this picture was not based on facts or science.

The application was filed this morning before the First Hall of the Civil Court in its Constitutional jurisdiction. Zammit Tabona’s lawyers, Eric Micallef Figarro and Keith Borg, explained that the businessman had been administered two doses of the vaccine but has not yet taken the booster shot as he deemed it ‘scientifically useless’ and ‘potentially dangerous.’

In the case he filed against Charmaine Gauci as well as State Advocate Chris Soler, Tabona said that the covid measures around travel were affecting his work which involved lots of overseas travel. The hotelier had allegedly sent a letter to Gauci in January, attaching results of laboratory tests conducted in November, December and January. The tests concluded that he had immunity against the virus and that the booster was thus useless and possibly dangerous.

With no reply received, he sent a reminder on the 9th of February, which also went unanswered. A third letter was sent on March 3rd upon return to Malta, but this was also ignored after he was placed in quarantine. His lawyers argue that the requirement for COVID-19 certification and quarantine restrictions are not based on science and breach fundamental human rights.

Zammit Tabona has called upon the court to declare the legislation and measures it implements as going against fundamental rights and therefore null and void.

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Ukraine war a major concern for local voters

Mar 22 2022

A survey commissioned by Times of Malta found that around one in four Maltese people see the war in Ukraine as one of the main problems facing their country.

The war placed second alongside COVID-19, just below the rising cost of living. A total of 19% of respondents view the war as the biggest threat to Malta at present.

The cost of living has ben listed as the leading concern by 25.7% of respondents. The last survey was conducted by the newsroom between March 5th and 15th by market research firm Esprimi.

A survey carried out in February showed that rising prices had risen to second place in the lit of concerns, with the first being the pressure on Malta’s healthcare system due to COVID-19.

The latest round of the survey showed that the pandemic is a leading concern for 19% of respondents, placing equally up with the war in Ukraine. Corruption dropped to fourth place, replaced by traffic.

Around 13% think corruption is a leading concern, compared to around 16% who think that traffic congestions are the biggest problem facing the country. This was followed by salaries as being the biggest problem (around 6.7%). Despite the invasion being seen as a threat to the country, it is not seen as an issue which will personally impact the Maltese people.

The youngest of voters, between 16-to-24-year-olds, said they are least concerned with the war, with just 12.5% of this group thinking the war is the greatest threat to the country.

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Prime Minister denies secret deal to make Ian Castaldi Paris speaker

Mar 22 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela denied reaching a deal with the former MP Ian Castaldi Paris to nominate him for the role of parliamentary Speaker in exchange for him not contesting the election.

Abela told Times of Malta that this was ‘spin reporting’ and that he excludes it. ‘There was never any such discussion between us’ said Abela.

This follows a report by Nationalist Party media NET News which said that Abela reached a secret electoral agreement with the former party backbencher. Castaldi Paris had revealed that he was not contesting the election last December following a Times of Malta report which exposed how he had been investigated by tax officials over thousands of euros in undeclared worth.

The backbencher was investigated by the Tax Compliance Unit after a local bank raised a red flag on Castaldi Paris. Sources privy to the audit said the MP’s unexplained wealth reached up to €1 million.

Paris had insisted that the amount of the undeclared income is significantly lower, though he has not yet elaborated. According to his obligatory financial filings, Paris has around €18,200 in bank savings.

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Biden says Putin is considering chemical weapons in Ukraine

Mar 22 2022

US President Joe Biden has stated that it is clear Russia is considering the use of chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine. Biden warned of severe Western response if Putin chose to do so, saying that the Russian president’s back is against the wall.

The accusation was recently made by Russia about the United States, saying that America is holding chemical and biological weapons in Europe.

‘Simply not true, I guarantee you’ said Biden. ‘They are also suggesting that Ukraine has biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine. That’s a clear sign he’s considering using both of those.’

The statements were echoing ones made by his administration earlier this month as well as Western nations. This is after Russian officials accused Ukraine of seeking to hide alleged an US-backed chemical weapons program.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted out saying that ‘now that Russia has made these false claims, we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them.’

Biden said that such an action would prompt a sever response from Western allies. ‘Putin knows there will be severe consequences because of the units NATO front’ he said. Biden also warned of a response if Russia launched cyber attacks against US critical infrastructure.

#MaltaDaily