Il-Kollettiv Launches Electoral Reform Campaign

Jun 19 2024

Il-Kollettiv has launched a campaign for a reform of the electoral system to ensure a truly representative democracy. The civil society group has submitted a parliamentary petition to collect signatures from the public via an online petition hosted on the site of the Maltese Parliament, calling for the immediate opening of a consultation process with the aim of carrying out the reform within this legislature.

Through this petition, Il-Kollettiv seeks to give a representation to the 143,028 voters who chose to vote for independent and smaller parties – or to abstain – in the last European Parliament elections held on the 8th June. These amount to 38.6% of the electorate; out of these, 12.7% voted for independent or smaller candidates.

This confirms how the Maltese voter’s profile is changing as time goes by, and how there are shifts in opinion from one election to the other. However, despite these shifts in the electorate’s preferences, the electoral law hasn’t changed: under the current system, candidates require 16.7% of the district vote to be elected.

Il-Kollettiv deputy Secretary Cyrus Engerer, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing Claire Azzopardi Lane and activist Omar Rababah have presented the petition on behalf of the group.

“A democracy is only strong when it represents the smaller voices, and not only at election time. An analysis of the votes achieved by the independent and smaller parties will show that, at 12.7%, it will equate to 10 of the 79 seats in national Parliament. In reality, however, the present system works in favour of the two big parties, and this means that no independent or third party will ever be elected.”

“At every election, various representatives of the two major parties insist that voting for a smaller party is equal to wasting your vote. After 143,028 voters chose not to vote for either government or opposition parties, it’s high time that they are given a fair representation in our democracy. Through this petition, the public has the chance to show that it wants to be represented in the running of the country.”

The petition calls on the House of Representatives to:

Immediately and during this legislature, launch a wide-ranging consultation process on the electoral system;
Discuss, as a matter of principle, the introduction of a national threshold that guarantees a full representation of the Maltese electorate;
Initiate the full process leading to an electoral reform, which presents a fairer system as from the next general elections.

The petition that has been submitted today will be open for signatures after it is reviewed by parliamentary services.

Individuals and groups who would like to take part in this campaign can do so by emailing il-Kollettiv on [email protected].

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Tenant Faces Death Threats & Cut-Offs in Landlord Dispute

Jun 19 2024

On June 13, 2024, tenant Aleksandar Vukoje faced a harrowing ordeal when his landlord illegally entered his apartment and issued death threats, including “I will slit your throat and flush it down the toilet” and “I kill you!”

According to Solidarjetà, the landlord attempted to unlawfully evict Aleksandar, demanding, “Move the things out! Go out now!” When Aleksandar called the police, the landlord boasted of connections with law enforcement and threatened prolonged legal battles to ruin Aleksandar financially.

The landlord, who claimed to own 150 properties, revelled in causing trouble, stating, “I love it trouble me. It’s my hobby.” He also mentioned having Aleksandar followed, creating an atmosphere of intimidation and surveillance. When police arrived, they initially sided with the landlord, who falsely claimed that Aleksandar was an illegal occupant. Despite showing a valid contract, Aleksandar was warned that his guest’s presence could lead to eviction, although police cannot enforce evictions without a court order.

Aleksandar’s attempts to file a report at the police station were repeatedly thwarted by a sergeant who denied him the opportunity and warned him he wouldn’t stay long in the property. The landlord escalated the harassment by cutting off water and electricity, leaving Aleksandar without utilities over the weekend.

On Sunday, Solidarjetà accompanied Aleksandar to the police station, where a respectful officer allowed them to file a report, and the Superintendent apologised for the previous mistreatment, promising that the sergeant would no longer handle the case. This incident underscores a broader issue of landlords committing criminal acts with little consequence and police inaction towards tenants and foreigners.

Solidarjetà demanded immediate restoration of utilities for Aleksandar, that police treat tenant issues seriously, and that the Housing Authority prevent landlords with a history of mistreatment from renting properties.

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Ronaldo Breaks Record with Sixth Euro Appearance

Jun 19 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo made history on Tuesday by becoming the first player to compete in six European Championship tournaments. The 39-year-old Portuguese forward captained his team to a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening match.

Ronaldo, who debuted at Euro 2004 when Portugal reached the final, holds the record for the most goals in the tournament with 14 and has now extended his appearance record to 26 games. He was instrumental in Portugal’s Euro 2016 title win and remains a key player for his national team.

Before the match, Ronaldo expressed his excitement on social media, reflecting on his journey with the national team and his commitment to achieving further success. He stated, “With everyone’s strength and support, we’re turning dreams into reality. Together let’s fight for another triumph. United, we’re unstoppable.”

Despite his team’s dominance with nearly three-quarters of ball possession, the Czech Republic’s goalkeeper, Jindrich Stanek, made several impressive saves, including denying Ronaldo himself.

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Kinnie Zero hits the shelves in Malta and Gozo

Jun 19 2024

With zero sugar, Kinnie Zero is a refreshing soft drink that does not compromise on the original and iconic Kinnie taste!

Ms Susan Weenink Camilleri, Head of Sales and Marketing at Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, commented, “Kinnie Zero is an extremely important new launch for the Kinnie brand. Backed by extensive market research, it has been in the making for several years. Consumers have become more health-conscious than ever, with many making the switch to zero-sugar variant soft drinks. Kinnie Zero acknowledges and addresses this trend with its no sugar content, while still retaining the classic Kinnie experience we all know and love.

“Farsons prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation and the recent new and successful product launches and packaging developments, including the launch of Kinnie Zero, are testament to this,” she added.

The Kinnie portfolio also includes classic Kinnie, with its unmistakable and unique bittersweet flavour remaining unchanged since its launch in 1952, Diet Kinnie, launched in 1984 is a low-calorie version and Kinnie Zest, launched in 2007 with an enhanced orange flavour and no added sugar. Kinnie Spritz, launched in 2021, is the brand’s first foray into the alcoholic sector, and is a 4% ABV alcoholic aperitivo.

Kinnie Zero is produced, marketed and distributed by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc. It is available in 25cl returnable glass bottles, 33cl cans as well as 50cl, 1 litre and 1.5 litre PET bottles and can be found in leading bars, supermarkets, confectioneries and groceries throughout Malta and Gozo.

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