Jason Azzoaprdi retires from politics & PN after failing to get into Parliament

Apr 12 2022

Moments ago, long-time Nationalist Party member and one of the party’s most polarising forces Jason Azzopardi took to Facebook to share that he will be retiring from politics to focus on his professional life.

This comes after Azzopardi failed to get elected to Parliament via casual election after Sliema mayor Graziella Attard Previ managed to occupy Joe Giglio’s vacated ninth district seated.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Azzopardi stated that today, his 24 years of work as an MP and 34 years of activism in every level of the nationalist party have come to an end. The politician, most known for his ties with the PN’s notorious ’17 Blue Heroes’, stated that he will remain at the disposition of anyone who requires genuine help.

“How can I ever thank the Lord enough for all of the lessons throughout the years?” Azzopardi said before outlining his political experience throughout the years. From being approached by Eddie Fenech Adami to contest the 1998 general election whilst he was a University student and youngest MP at that time, to serving as Parliamentary Secretary and Minister between 2008 and 2013, Azzopardi said that he looks back on his political career with pride and a clean conscience.

“I’ve made mistakes. I apologise to those I’ve hurt. The criminals and corrupt however, I do not apologise to. I fact, I would like to assure them that I will continue to seek justice and uncover the truth. Whoever they are.”

What do you make of Jason Azzopardi exit from politics?

#MaltaDaily

Xghajra mayor accused of harassing ex with 46,000 Facebook messages

Apr 12 2022

Xghajra mayor Neil Attard has been found guilty of harassing his ex-girlfriend by sending her around 46,000 Facebook messages in 2015.

In a case which has been going on for 7 years, the mayor was acquitted of threatening her as well as misusing telecommunications equipment.

39-year-old Attard was deputy mayor at the time, getting accused of harassment and committing further offences whilst under suspended sentence.

The ex-girlfriend testified to having received thousands of phone calls and online message requests from a phone number under the mayor’s name. The peak of the harassment was reached between September and November 2015, with threats starting in May as Attard would allegedly wait behind her front door.

Despite no explicit threats being made, the sender said that he would seek revenge. The court head the police inspector testify as to how Attard admitted to sending the messaged because he claimed he loved her.

The court ruled that the volume of messages the accused sent to the complainant ‘without a doubt created harassment, in that he obsessively sent her messages continuously.’

Being found guilty, Attard was bound under a €2,000 guarantee not to contact the woman or her estranged husband for one year. He was however acquitted of charges relating to the alleged threats.

#MaltaDaily

Abandoned space to transform into picnic area in Dr Calvagna’s memory

Apr 12 2022

An abandoned Mosta space around 8,500 meters squared will be regenerated into a picnic area for residents to enjoy and in memory of the late Dr Victor Calvagna.

Under the responsibility of Parks Malta, the area will be filled with tress and public benches with constant maintenance. The trees will commemorate the Puttinu founder. Parks Malta will be collaborating with Puttinu Cares to plant a tree for every donation exceeding €300. Trees will also carry a label to commemorate survivors as well as those who passed away due to cancer.

The initiative forms part of Puttinu Cares’ fundraising marathon which is set to take place on Good Friday. The fundraiser will help the NGO to acquire new accommodation in the UK for patients and their families.

The initiative was announced by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli alongside Puttinu Cares CEO Rennie Zerafa as well as Parks Malta Director General Adrian Attard. Minister Dalli said that ‘during difficult times, Dr Calvagna and the team at Puttinu were essential for young patents and their families.

Such initiative will serve as a celebration of work by Dr Calvagna with various patients, with those who unfortunately died and cancer survivors.’ Present for the launch of the project were also Dr Victor Calvagna’s family members.

#MaltaDaily

Which PN candidates have made it into Parliament via casual elections?

Apr 12 2022

With the Nationalist Party’s casual elections going on, new faces Rebekah Cilia, Stanley Zammit, Graham Bencini, former Labour mayor Charles Azzopardi and Sliema mayor Graziella Attard Previ have been elected.

Cilia won Robert Arrigo’s vacated seventh districted seat while Zammit won Grech’s vacated seat in the fifth. Graham Bencini won Mark Anthony Sammut’s vacated seat in the tenth district, with Charles Azzopardi winning Ryan Callus’ seventh district seat.

Interestingly, Graziella Attard Previ’s victory of Joe Giglio’s vacated ninth district seat marked the end of Jason Azzopardi’s tenure in Parliament. Meanwhile, Karol Aquilina and Carm Mifsud Bonnici have also been revealed to be re-elected to parliament.

Vacated seats are occupied through ballot reviews, with second preference votes distributed to unelected candidates and the frontrunners of which process occupy the vacated seats by already-elected MPs.

The newly-elected MPs join the likes of the Nationalist Party faces Alex Borg, Jerome Caruana Cilia, Darren Carabott and Mark Anthony Sammut, all of which put on a considerable showing during the 2022 elections, with Borg himself even outpacing PN veteran Chris Said.

#MaltaDaily