About: Malta
Italy, Greece PMs join influx of visitors to Libya in transition
The prime ministers of Italy and Greece on Tuesday (6 April) joined a growing number of foreign leaders visiting Libya as it seeks to emerge from a decade of post-revolution chaos under a UN-sponsored peace process. Italy’s Mario Draghi, whose...
‘Club Med’ countries show united front on migration
Southern EU countries sometimes called ‘Club Med’ of MED5 on Saturday (20 March) showed a united front at a meeting in Athens, urging solidarity from other EU states in sharing the migration burden.
Suspect in Daphne Caruana’s murder pleads guilty
One of three men accused of the 2017 assassination of Maltese anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia pleaded guilty Tuesday (23 February), a major development in a case that has rocked the Mediterranean island nation.
Malta leads EU vaccinations but wary of virus variants
The leading EU country for Covid vaccinations, Malta, on Tuesday (16 February) credited the bloc's joint procurement for its success, but stressed moves need to be made to counter worrying virus variants.
‘Solidarity cannot be voluntary’: Portugal begins talks on EU migration pact
Portugal started a round of talks with ministers from various European Union (EU) nations on the new pact to tackle the bloc's long-standing migration issues, its government said on Tuesday (5 January).
Abortion rights: An open wound in many European countries
Poland already had one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, and is on the verge of tightening it even further. But a closer look at other European countries shows the trend does not go towards liberalisation either, while at EU level, the European Commission is legally unarmed.
EU signs €100m drone contract with Airbus and Israeli arms firms
Airbus and two Israeli arms companies received €100 million to fly unmanned drones over the Mediterranean that will be used to identify boats loaded with migrants trying to reach Europe, according to the Guardian. EURACTIV Italy reports.
EU to launch legal action over Cyprus, Malta ‘golden passports’
The EU said Monday (19 October) it will begin legal action against Cyprus and Malta over their controversial "golden passport" schemes for foreign investors, which critics say have been exploited by criminals.
Cyprus scraps ‘golden passport’ scheme after journalistic investigation
Cyprus said on Tuesday (13 October) it will scrap its controversial "golden passports" scheme for foreign investors next month over alleged abuses uncovered in a television programme.
Ex-Maltese PM’s chief of staff arrested in fraud probe
Maltese police arrested former prime minister Joseph Muscat's chief of staff Keith Schembri Tuesday (22 September), as part of a probe into alleged kickbacks connected to the sale of so-called golden passports.
Rescue boats return to the Mediterranean as 20,000 migrants prepare to cross from Libya
Two charity boats have headed back to the Mediterranean after a two-month hiatus in migrant rescue operations, as humanitarian groups await a new wave of arrivals.
No EU country accepted any of the 400 migrants stranded off Malta
More than 400 migrants disembarked in Malta overnight Saturday (6 June) from four tourist boats in an about-face by the government that allowed them to land after nearly 40 days onboard.
Fears mount over migrants dying ‘out of sight’ in Mediterranean
More and more migrants are crossing, Europe is closing its ports and no humanitarian ships are carrying out rescues. As the coronavirus pandemic dominates headlines, activists fear the Mediterranean is the scene of an overlooked "tragedy".
EU asylum policy: In search of solidarity in times of coronavirus
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, health and financial policies, in particular, have increasingly become the focus of the EU's solidarity debate. But what about EU asylum and refugee policy? EURACTIV Germany reports.
Rescue group, EU officials dispute fate of 85 sea migrants
Europe's coast guards and rescue agencies were at loggerheads Monday (13 April) about the fate of four dinghies and up to 85 migrants potentially lost at sea after setting off from Libya.
UNHCR alarm over dozens of missing migrants in Mediterranean
The UN refugee agency expressed alarm Sunday (12 April) about the fate of dozens of migrants whose rubber dinghies appear to have capsized after setting sail from Libya for Italy.
Malta says it can no longer rescue, accept migrants
Malta can no longer guarantee the rescue of migrants or allow their disembarkation during the coronavirus emergency, the Malta government said on Thursday (9 April).
Golden visas and passports still widespread in Europe, study finds
Citizenship and residence-for-pay schemes continue to be widespread across the EU, according to a new report, which calls on the European Commission to propose EU-wide rules to phase out golden passports while taking action against governments that operate schemes in breach of EU law.
New Malta PM reshuffles ministers, shuns controversial names
New Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela reshuffled his cabinet on Wednesday (15 January), sidelining some of the politicians who had faced fierce criticism from an anti-corruption journalist before her murder in 2017.
Malta’s new leader promises to keep strengthening rule of law
Malta's incoming leader Robert Abela promised to strengthen the rule of law and said the country would emerge stronger after recent events, in an address on Sunday (12 January) a day before he is due to succeed Joseph Muscat as prime minister.
Malta murder scandal exposes EU reluctance to force Muscat out
Malta's Prime Minister Josep Muscat came under increasing pressure on Thursday (12 December) as calls for his immediate resignation intensified in Brussels in an ongoing investigation over the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia.
Tweets of the Week: Commission Handover, NATO jokes, Malta Rule of Law
VDL Commission takes up its seat, Trump under fire as NATO leaders meet, and Rule of Law in Malta feeling the heat.
Middleman tells Malta court of plot to kill Daphne Caruana
The self-confessed middleman in the murder of a journalist told a court on Wednesday (4 December) a wealthy Maltese businessman was the brains behind the killing but also implicated people tied to government in the growing scandal.