Malta’s ‘El Chapo’ Jordan Azzopardi granted bail after being arrested two months ago

Sep 30 2022

Jordan Azzopardi, also known as Malta’s ‘El Chapo’ has been granted bail after being arrested two months ago in a police operation against drug trafficking.

The 32-year-old was taken to court under court-ordered additional security and was charged with 13 counts including the possession of cocaine in circumstances beyond personal use, dangerous driving, attempting to flee the police and breaking court conditions.

On July 22nd, the Malta Police Force had received word that Azzopardi was involved in an activity related to drug trafficking. After attempting to escape the police by reversing, driving to the opposite side, colliding with another vehicle and throwing an unknown substance outside his car, the police found what was suspected to be 130 grams of cocaine.

Azzopardi was granted bail on a deposit of €8,500 and a personal guarantee of €12,500 with the condition of having to sign at a police station and not exit his house between 8pm and 6am.

#MaltaDaily

Months old baby in hospital following St Paul’s Bay car crash

Sep 29 2022

A traffic accident which occurred in St Paul’s Bay on Thursday afternoon saw four people, including an infant, sustaining injuries and having to be hospitalised.

Police revealed to reporters that the accident occurred in Triq Għajn Tuffieħa at around 1330hrs. A Toyota Vitz driven by a 71-year-old woman from Mosta crashed into a Kia Picanto driven by a 45-year-old Italian national.

Three passengers, including a months-old infant were in the Kia Picanto. All passengers were transferred to Mater Dei Hospital. Their condition is as of yet unknown. Road was closed off to traffic.

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Learn preferred pronouns and respect others’ learning pace government urges

Sep 29 2022

In a new post uploaded by the government’s parliamentary secretary for reforms and equality, teachers were urged to learn students’s preferred gender pronouns as the new school term begins.

The post also asked teachers to stop any homophobic or bigoted slurs or actions and to create a sense of security in a classroom to give a safe space for self-expression.

Meanwhile, students were urged to respect other pupils’ pace of learning and understand that not everyone does so in the same way.

The students were also urged to show mutual respect to everyone around us – that the cleaners are just as important as the school principal.

‘Diversity opens the door for cultural education. Learning doesn’t only come from books, but from those around us as well’ the post said.

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Malta taken to court by European Union over golden passport scheme

Sep 29 2022

The European Commission has referred Malta to the Court of Justice of the European Union for selling passport to wealthy passports though what is known as the ‘golden passport’ scheme.

Malta is the only country to retain the investor citizenship scheme after Cyprus and Bulgaria put a stop to this.

The commission considers granting EU citizenship in return for pre-determined payments or investments with no link to the member state concerned incompatible with sincere cooperation. This, the commission argued, goes against the principle enshrined in the Treaty on European Union as well as the concept of Union citizenship.

This was disputed by Malta, insisting that its interpretation of EU treaties was in fact correct. Malta had previously suspended the sale of passports for Russian and Belarusian nationals following the invasion of Ukraine by the former country.

The commission observed however that Malta continues to operate the scheme for all other nationalities and has not expressed intention to end it. This despite a letter of formal notice to Malta by the Commission sent on October 20th 2020, urging to end the scheme. A follow-up letter was sent on June 9th 2021.

This was followed by a reasoned opinion to Malta, to which the island replied by stating that while it would maintain dialogue with the commission, the grant of citizenship falls within the national competence of a member state and should remain as such.

This response was deemed unsatisfactory by the Commission and thus referred Malta to the Court of Justice of the EU.

#MaltaDaily