About: Malta

Flagship study exposes decline of press freedom in Europe

Reporters Without Borders published their flagship annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ on Thursday (18 April), revealing that worldwide, authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, while in Europe, decline of press freedom goes hand in hand with...

Five arrested after Maltese military seizes tanker hijacked by migrants

Five men were arrested Thursday (28 March) after Maltese armed forces took control of a tanker that was hijacked by migrants off Libya and the ship docked in Malta.

EPP more likely to expel Fidesz if rival groups also ditch troublemakers

If mainstream political groups do not collectively expel their bad apples it could spell an end to measures by the EU to protect democracy in its member countries, write Jean Morijn and Israel Butler.

No more ships to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean

Italy’s decision to block the ship of German NGO Sea-Watch in the port of Catania, Sicily, means that there are currently no ships from humanitarian organisations to rescue migrants in the Mediterannean. EURACTIV’s media partner Euroefe reports.

EU sees crime risks from Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria ‘golden passport’ schemes

The European Commission will warn that schemes in EU states to sell citizenship or residence to wealthy individuals could help foreign organised crime groups infiltrate the bloc and increase the risk of money laundering, corruption and tax evasion.

Parliament seeks financial punishment for countries breaching rule of law

European Union countries that undermine the bloc's democratic principles could lose EU funds, under a draft law backed by the European Parliament on Thursday (17 January).

Malta disembarks migrants sparking Italy government clash

Forty-nine migrants disembarked in Malta on Wednesday (9 January) after spending more than two weeks stranded on board rescue ships, ending a standoff in which EU countries had refused to offer them a safe port.

Malta demands EU solution before migrants disembark

Malta is pushing other European countries to take in around 250 migrants in its care before it will allow dozens of people stuck on two rescue boats to disembark, a government source said Tuesday (8 January).

Pope urges EU to show ‘solidarity’ with migrants stranded off Malta

Pope Francis on Sunday (6 January) urged EU leaders to show "concrete solidarity" with 49 migrants stranded on NGO ships off the coast of Malta who have been refused permission to land.

Maltese opposition calls for minister to quit over power station contract

Malta's opposition on Monday (12 November) called for the tourism minister and the prime minister's top aide to resign after an investigation by Reuters and Times of Malta showed that Panama companies they had set up had arranged to receive money through a mystery company called 17 Black in Dubai.

Italy to push EU for reform of ‘Operation Sophia’

Rome will today (30 August) ask the European Union to rotate the ports where migrants rescued at sea disembark, Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta said, with France and Spain expected to top the list.

Italy allows docking of ship with migrants, ends standoff with Malta

Italy will let its coast guard ship carrying 177 migrants rescued on the Mediterranean Sea five days ago dock in Sicily, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said on Monday, ending a standoff with Malta over where the ship should disembark.

Migrant rescue ship arrives in Malta, ending standoff

The Mediterranean rescue ship Aquarius arrived at Valletta harbour in Malta on Wednesday (15 August) to allow 141 migrants to get off, ending a five-day tug-of-war among EU countries which had seen the vessel banned from docking in several ports.

Maltese PM says name cleared in Panama Papers probe

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said Sunday (22 July) a year-long inquiry into allegations of financial wrongdoing linked to the Panama Papers scandal had cleared him.

NGO ship docks in Malta after seven countries pledge to take migrants

A humanitarian ship that has had about 230 rescued migrants on board for almost a week docked in Malta yesterday (27 June), ending a stand-off with Italy which refused to let the ship into one of its ports.

Spain to receive rescue boat with 629 migrants after Italy, Malta refuse

Spain's new prime minister ordered the authorities on Monday (11 June) to receive a rescue vessel carrying 629 migrants that has remained at sea in the Mediterranean after both the Italian and Maltese governments, the two nearest European territories, refused it permission to disembark. EURACTIV’s partner efe-epa reports.

Ireland’s Yes vote ushers in a new era for women’s rights in Europe

EU institutions should be emboldened to take concrete actions to defend reproductive freedom across the whole of Europe after Irish citizens voted massively in favour of repealing the country’s abortion ban, writes Caroline Hickson.

EU to check on money laundering moves in Malta, journalist’s murder

The European Union's justice commissioner said on Monday (23 April)  she will visit Malta in the coming weeks to look at its anti-money laundering moves and check on how an investigation is going into the murder of an investigative journalist.

MEPs call for better protection of journalists

MEPs have called for an independent investigation into the murder of Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée and also demanded a better protection of investigative journalism. EURACTIV.fr reports.

‘Daphne project’ vows to disturb Malta’s corruption praxis

Marking six months since the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, an international consortium of journalists has started publishing further revelations aimed at uncovering the truth about her assassination and making sure her investigations live on.

11 member states smash 2020 renewables targets early

Eleven EU countries have already met their 2020 renewable energy goals ahead of schedule while the bloc as a whole has reached 17%, just shy of the overall target with two years to go, according to new data from Eurostat.

Malta’s sole power link to Europe feels the strain

Energy security is an increasingly hot topic in Malta. Imported electricity prices increased last year and Valetta had to rely more and more on the sole undersea cable that links it to the European grid via Sicily.

Migration to dominate ‘Club Med’ summit in Rome

The heads of seven southern European states gather in Rome today (10 January) to tackle one of the stubbornest thorns in the EU's side: flows of migrants from war-torn and impoverished countries.