Russia set to exit the Council of Europe due to pressure

Mar 16 2022

Russia’s foreign ministry revealed on Tuesday that it was initiating procedures to exit the Council of Europe. This follows pressure for Moscow being expelled from the rights group.

The ministry issued a statement on its Telegram account, saying that it was launching the procedure to exit the council and that it had given notification of its departure to Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric.

Ukraine had also demanded Russia be expelled from the council on Monday. Ukrainian representatives said that Russia had no right to remain a member after sending troops to a pro-EUropean country.

After Russia was suspended from all its rights of representation a day after troops entered Ukraine on February 24th, the foreign ministry lambasted the discriminatory move in its statement. It said that in such conditions, the country will not remain in the Council of Europe.

After having joined the council in 1996, the foreign ministry of Russia said that they part from the council without regret.

#MaltaDaily

Malta does not need to build a gas pipeline to North Africa says Miriam Dalli

Mar 16 2022

Contrary to views expressed by former Prime Minister Jospeh Muscat, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli does not think Malta needs to consider building a gas pipeline or electricity interconnected to North Africa.

Speaking with Times of Malta, Dalli said that Italy already has pipelines with Algeria and the East Adriatic through Sicily and the southern region of Puglia. This means that Malta will be tapping into these energy sources when sourcing energy from Sicily with the interconnection.

This follows a Times of Malta opinion piece by Muscat himself, who said that existing plans to build the second interconnected and gas pipeline between Malta and Italy will ‘do nothing to reduce Malta’s energy dependency on Russia.’

This is because Muscat is arguing that Italy and other European partners depend on Russia for 43% of energy requirements. The piece was released just days after Dalli said that Malta is not dependent on Russian gas.

Dalli argued that a second interconnected connecting Malta to Sicily will provide ‘diversification’ of Maltese energy supply. Dalli highlighted the Sicily interconnected project as an ambitious step in the country’s shift to renewable energy. She said that having a hydrogen-ready gas pipeline will serve as an alternative source of energy when solar power fails to give the necessary supplies and would not cause power cuts in buildings.

#MaltaDaily

Motorcyclist dies following incident – tenth fatality this year

Mar 16 2022

A 28-year-old motorcyclist from Luqa died following a crash with another motorcycle on Regional Road, Gzira on Tuesday.

This is the tenth fatality due to road incidents this year, already one more than the total of last year.

The other motorcyclist, a 28-year-old from Zebbug, suffered slight injuries. The police revealed that the incident happened at around 11pm when the motorcyclists were making their way to Marsa.

Medical teams assisted both injured men, but one of them succumbed to his injuries at Mater Dei Hospital. He was later identified as Andrea Alamango, with tributes pouring in on social media upon announcement.

#MaltaDaily

Prime Minister assures no refunds for COVID wage supplement

Mar 15 2022

Addressing a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development on the Ukraine Crisis, the Prime Minister gave his word that the millions spent in wage supplements during the pandemic will remain in the businesses’ pockets.

Abela denied claims that there will be a request for their refunds, saying that this was a false claim made by Opposition leader Bernard Grech. He reiterated that the wage supplement will not require refund as agreed with the MCESD members on the 24th of March 2020.

Abela also spoke about his attendance of two summits in Brussels and Paris where the Ukrainian war was discussed. He focused on Malta’s position of peace, adding that the European Council condemned the war. He said that what is happening in Ukraine breaches International law and that Malta will join in sanctions and helping refugees.

The Prime Minister said that Malta and all European countries will work so that they all change to cleaner energy. Malta is neutral the Prime Minister emphasised, and therefore every enforced sanction has to be in conformity with Malta’s Constitution.

#MaltaDaily