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Mario Galea says they ‘made his life hell’ to drop candidature

Mario Galea says they ‘made his life hell’ after withdrawing
Feb 22 2022 Share

Nationalist MP Mario Galea has just rejected claims made by the Nationalist Party heads, notably leader Bernard Grech, that there was a ‘consensus’ to withdraw his election candidature. 

Galea told MaltaToday that it was not true he told them to resign. ‘I had already prepared my campaign. I took photos at my district and had already begun home visits’ said the now withdrawn candidate. 

This follows the announcement that four PN candidates would not be contesting the general election. Galea’s withdrawal was announced in the morning alongside Kristy Debono and Clyde Puli, with Claudio Grech announcing his own later in the evening during a PN event in St George’s Square Valletta. 

Party leader Bernard Grech said Claudio’s decision was made out of persuasion that the Nationalist party needed a regeneration. Grech said that the three first withdrawals understood the need for regeneration, but Galea rejected the claims. 

‘It’s completely not true. On Sunday evening, I received calls from the party headquarters to attend the press conference on Monday.’ He unveiled how people close to the party leadership made his life hell and that he was made a disposable commodity. 

He even stated that his mental health was called out. ‘I was actively campaigning, but now it’s too much and I felt I needed to get out.’ Galea, who is 59, was elected for the first time to parliament in 1992 on the 3rd district. He was elected again in 1998 and every election following that. 

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Reforms Minister Owen Bonnici slams Marsaskala marina plans

Reforms Minister Owen Bonnici slams Marsaskala marina plans
Feb 22 2022 Share

Minister for Research and Innovation Owen Bonnici has come out against the Marsaskala plans which were published last summer, following in the footsteps of Chris Fearne.

The Minister was speaking on an interview on ONE, and reiterated that his position is the same as Prime Minister Robert Abela and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne’s.

‘I absolutely do not agree with the Marsaskala marina plans that were published during Summer’ he told the interviewer, going on to explain that the inner part of the bay should be organised in a way that ‘makes sense to today’s world.’ 

He also stated that an extension of the marina into the outer part of the bay does not make sense, going on to explain how any development for this zone needs to have a number of principles satisfied within the plans. 

Of these, he mentioned swimmers’ rights to swim along with cultural traditions which should be respected. Back when Fearne’s statements were issued, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg had downplayed comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister, saying that he was not in fact expressing disagreement on the marina. 

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Photo Source: Owen Bonnici FB, Chris Fearne FB, Moviment Graffiti FB

Standstill traffic across Malta due to four-car collision in Marsa

Standstill traffic across Malta due to four-car collision in Marsa
Feb 22 2022 Share

If you were anywhere close to Maltese roads this morning, you probably noticed the jaw-dropping amount of traffic across the entire island.

Such traffic was caused by a four-car collision in a main road leading to Marsa, with the Police confirming that the accident took place at around 6:45am in Hamrun Bypass. One individual, a passenger, was taken to Mater Dei Hospital after sustaining injuries as their condition remains pending.

The Malta Police Force has revealed that the road has been opened.

Were you stuck in traffic this morning?

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Photo Source: Maltese Roads Traffic Updates

World leaders condemn Russia as troops move into eastern Ukraine

World leaders condemn Russia as troops move into eastern Ukraine
Feb 22 2022 Share

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to move into two rebel-held regions in Eastern Ukraine after recognising them as independent states. 

This was met with severe condemnation by several world leaders  as Russia claimed that the troops would be engaging in ‘peacekeeping’ in the regions. The two regions, Luhansk and Donetsk, harbour Russian-backed rebels who have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014.Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of wilfully violating its sovereignty, calling for clear an effective actions of support from its International partners. 

Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield dismissed Russia’s peacekeeping claims, saying that ‘we know what they really are.’In reaction, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order that prohibits new investment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson too said that the actions are a flagrant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote on Twitter that the recognition of the two separatist territories in Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements. ‘The EU and its partners will react with unity, firmness and with determination in solidarity with Ukraine’ she said.

This was echoed by UK’s Sajid Javid who told Sky News that the invasion of Ukraine ‘has begun’, and that further sanctions will be imposed on Russia. ‘Europeans were waking up to a very dark day’ he said. 

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Photo Source: ABC News, Roberta Metsola FB