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TMID Editorial: Protecting the victims of violence

TMID Editorial: Protecting the victims of violence

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality on Monday sounded a stark warning: the repeated granting of bail to people accused of violence against women risks endangering victims and the wider public.In a statement, the NCPE expressed concern that insufficient weight may be given to the potential harm posed to alleged victims, their families and other vulnerable people when defendants with a reported pattern of violent behaviour are released on bail.The commission referred to a recent case involving a man facing several court proceedings over alleged violence against women, including the attempted murder of two girls.It said the man had been repeatedly granted bail despite also facing separate proceedings for allegedly breaching previous bail conditions.The particular case was not mentioned in the statement, but the NCPE was ostensibly referring to the case of Nazzareno Dalli who was granted bail last week after being charged with threatening his pregnant ex.He was already on bail for the attempted murder of two girls in December 2024 and for another domestic violence incident in March this year.The NCPE said the case was not an isolated one, claiming that individuals accused of repeated violent behaviour were being released without sufficient consideration of the risks they could pose.While acknowledging the principle that every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the commission said courts must also consider the rights of alleged victims and others to life, safety and well-being.This is a statement of significant importance from the NCPE. Yes, the right to both the presumption of innocence and the right to bail are important within the country’s legal system – but the rights of the victims should be just as important.Unfortunately in some cases today, the perception is that the perpetrator can appear to have more rights than the victim.The NCPE said the problem was partly worsened by lengthy court proceedings, which could leave defendants facing several ongoing cases without any final judgment being delivered.It acknowledged government efforts to appoint more judges and magistrates in recent years but called for further resources to speed up proceedings.Cases in which an alleged victim may face an imminent risk of harm should be prioritised, the commission said, and it called for electronic tagging to be introduced at an early stage of proceedings in appropriate cases.There has been an increase in domestic violence cases in recent years – perhaps not necessarily because the number of instances of such cases has increased, but possibly because the awareness surrounding them and the approach towards them from the police has improved significantly.But with the increased awareness and the increased work from the authorities, must also come an increased emphasis on protecting the victims of domestic violence. This is especially the case with repeat alleged offenders, where there is a track record of alleged violence.The courts must work to protect the rights of every individual who comes before it, whatever the charges, but it must also ensure that the rights and – even more so – the safety of the victims who are affected by crime and violence are protected in the most effective manner possible.

3 hours ago
LIVE: Trial by jury against Yorgen Fenech enters 30th day

LIVE: Trial by jury against Yorgen Fenech enters 30th day

The trial by jury of businessman Yorgen Fenech has entered its 30th day, with the prosecution expected to continue calling witnesses before Madam Justice Edwina Grima.Monday’s sitting saw the testimony of Matthew Caruana Galizia, one of Daphne’s sons and the person who runs the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation. He shared details about his mother’s investigations and recounted the horror of being the first person on the scene in the seconds after the car bomb that killed his mother detonated..More witnesses are expected to testify as proceedings resume Tuesday morning.Yorgen Fenech, a businessman, has pleaded not guilty to two principal charges: complicity in the wilful homicide of Daphne Caruana Galizia and criminal association to commit the murder. Caruana Galizia, a columnist with The Malta Independent, was killed in a car bomb on 16 October, 2017.Five men have already been convicted in connection with Caruana Galizia's assassination. Vince Muscat admitted his role in the murder in 2021 and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Alfred and George Degiorgio each received 40-year prison sentences after pleading guilty in 2022, while Robert Agius and Jamie Vella were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025 for supplying the bomb used in the attack.The prosecution is being led by Attorney General lawyers Godwin Cini, Anthony Vella and Danika Vella, assisted by Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud and Inspector Kurt Zahra. Fenech is represented by lawyers Charles Mercieca, Gianella Demarco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, while lawyers Therese Comodini Cachia and Jason Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the Caruana Galizia family.Judge Edwina Grima is presiding.Please refresh the page for updates09:40: Chatzantoniou testifies that he carried out more than 500 examinations each year and that his examination produced a negative result, meaning he found no evidence indicating these documents had been falsified.He says that his assessment was relatively quick because there were no obvious signs that the documents were fakes, but declines to explain the exact methodology as it is confidential.During cross-examination, the defence asks whether comparing the questioned documents with the printer used to produce them would have assisted his analysis.The expert replies while such a comparison was not essential, it would have been helpful.Responding to questions from the jurors, he replies he had not been provided with a handwriting sample for comparison and added handwriting analysis did not fall within his area of expertise.I am not a handwriting expert, so it was not my concern, he told the court.09:20: Today’s first witness is Ioannis Chatzantoniou, a Europol officer who worked in the organisation’s forensics department.He testifies that his job was to examine scans of documents and to determine the possibility of whether they were falsified or whether they were scans of the originals.09:00: Good morning and welcome to today's court-room live blog as the trial against Yorgen Fenech enters its 30th day

3 hours ago
Minimum on-the-spot fine for tourists doubles to €50

Minimum on-the-spot fine for tourists doubles to €50

The minimum that can be charged in an on-the-spot fine has doubled from 25 to 50, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Tuesday morning.The change was made through a legal notice which was enshrined into law on Tuesday.“This is another step towards ensuring more order and more respect to our communities,” Prime Minister Robert Abela said as he announced the news on his Facebook page.“When the law is enforced in an effective manner, everyone wins. We will continue taking the necessary decisions so that the law is respected,” he added.The law introducing on-the-spot fines came into force last month amid concerns of antisocial behaviour from tourists, especially in known touristic hotspots.On-the-spot fines are applicable only to “non-habitual residents” – which is essentially anybody in the country who is not a Maltese citizen or holder of a residence document.If the individual who is fined does not pay the charge immediately then police have the power to confiscate travel documents such as passports and ID cards.

3 hours ago

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‘Clear plan with solutions needed to address power-cut crisis,’ PN says in social partners meeting

‘Clear plan with solutions needed to address power-cut crisis,’ PN says in social partners meeting

The Nationalist Party has said that there is a need to assess what has been done so far, identify what more must be done and draw up a clear plan with solutions to address the power-cut crisis that is severely affecting families, workers, businesses and Malta’s tourism sector. In a statement following a meeting held with social partners on Monday, the PN said it is clear that further investment is needed, together with a strategy to address infrastructure that is failing to keep pace with the country’s needs.The meeting between an Opposition delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition and the PN Alex Borg, and the social partners forming part of the MCESD, during which the energy crisis was discussed was held at the Office of the Opposition in Parliament, where representatives of trade unions and constituted bodies raised their concerns about the situation and put forward proposals on what should be done.The PN said that it had taken the initiative to convene the members of the MCESD after receiving no date for the meeting it had requested with the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development on the energy crisis. By contrast, a Council meeting requested by the Government shortly after the Opposition’s formal request was held in recent days, the party noted.The PN also said that the government is continuing to refuse serious parliamentary scrutiny of the situation in the electricity sector because it knows that such scrutiny would expose years of poor planning, insufficient investment and misplaced priorities.“When the Opposition requested that Parliament debate the crisis after the PN presented a Motion of No Confidence in Minister Miriam Dalli, the Government simply closed Parliament for the summer to avoid the debate,” the PN said.The party said that this came in addition to blocking scrutiny of the Auditor General’s report in the Public Accounts Committee and refusing the Opposition’s request for the PAC to discuss the situation urgently. The PN said that the government also refuses to explain where and how the 140 million it claims to have invested in the electricity distribution network was spent, and does not want to account to Parliament for all the damage and faults that have occurred.“In light of all this, the Opposition itself convened the social partners to discuss the power-cut crisis, the way forward and the automatic compensation mechanism it is proposing to compensate people whenever their electricity supply is interrupted,” the PN said.At the beginning of the meeting, Leader of the Opposition Alex Borg explained that the situation Malta is once again experiencing this summer was foreseeable. He recalled that power cuts are not isolated incidents, but form part of widespread and long-standing problems which the Government has failed to address seriously, despite being aware of the difficulties experienced during previous summers.He also recalled that the report by the National Audit Office showed that investment in the electricity system had decreased rather than increased, demonstrating that the Government had failed to ensure that Malta had infrastructure capable of keeping pace with ever-growing demand.While outlining the steps taken by the Opposition to address the crisis, the PN Leader also emphasised the need for the social partners to form part of the national discussion on this issue of national importance, with social dialogue taking place continuously and not only when a crisis arises.On automatic compensation, the PN Leader recalled that the Opposition is insisting that families and businesses affected by prolonged or repeated power cuts should receive compensation automatically, clearly and transparently. This compensation would be imposed automatically by the regulator for all those who suffer interruptions to their electricity supply.The Opposition also called for Enemalta workers, who are being forced to bear the burden of the Government’s political failure and are working tirelessly to resolve the crisis, to be adequately compensated. These workers, who are operating in difficult conditions to repair faults throughout the summer, deserve support and fair compensation.The Opposition delegation attending the meeting was led by Leader of the Opposition and of the Partit Nazzjonalista Alex Borg and included PN Deputy Leader Alex Perici Calascione, Shadow Minister responsible for Social Dialogue Bernard Grech and Shadow Minister responsible for Energy Mark Anthony Sammut.The social partners represented at the meeting included The Malta Chamber, the Malta Chamber of SMEs, the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions (CMTU), Malta Employers, the GWU, UĦM Voice of the Workers and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), as well as representatives of the Civil Society Committee and the Gozo Regional Committee within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

16 hours ago
Government distributes palm fronds to fisherman for the lampuki season

Government distributes palm fronds to fisherman for the lampuki season

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Anton Refalo, visited the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department offices at Għammieri, where palm fronds are being distributed to fishermen as part of the preparations for the traditional lampuki fishing season, which begins on 15 August.In a statement, the ministry said that this initiative forms part of the Ministry's ongoing support for the fishing sector, while helping to preserve a tradition that has been passed down from one generation to another. The initiative began on 27 July and will run until 9 August. The palm fronds are used to build kannizzati (floating rafts), which serve as an essential tool in lampuki fishing.During his visit, Minister Anton Refalo met with a number of fishermen and thanked them for their continued work in support of the sector. He stated that this period is an important one for the Maltese and Gozitan fishing community.Lampuki are not only an important part of the fishing economy but also of our country's maritime identity. It is our duty to continue supporting our fishermen while safeguarding the traditions that make the Maltese fishing sector unique. This distribution of palm fronds is a practical service that helps fishermen prepare for the upcoming season, said Minister Refalo.The Minister added that the Government will continue investing in measures that strengthen the sustainability of the sector, improve fishermen's working conditions, and continue protecting Malta's maritime heritage.The initiative will continue throughout the week so that all eligible fishermen can collect the palm fronds they need for their preparations before the opening of the lampuki fishing season.

16 hours ago
‘Our partnership with ACE is essential to further strengthen our work’ – Minister Glenn Bedingfield

‘Our partnership with ACE is essential to further strengthen our work’ – Minister Glenn Bedingfield

Minister for Home Affairs and Security Glenn Bedingfield held a meeting with the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE), during which a number of issues of importance to the catering sector were discussed, with particular emphasis on the joint efforts required to further strengthen public order, safety and a positive environment in commercial and tourist areas.The meeting was also attended by ACE President Michelle Muscat and the Association’s Secretary Matthew Pace. Discussions focused on how the Ministry and its entities can continue to strengthen collaboration with operators in the sector to address common challenges, while maintaining regular and constructive dialogue with the industry.Minister Glenn Bedingfield emphasised that the Association of Catering Establishments is a key partner in the Ministry’s work. “ACE is an important voice for operators within the sector, and our partnership with the Association is essential to further strengthen our work. Through continuous communication and open dialogue, we can better understand the realities faced by operators and work together on solutions that enhance public safety, maintain public order, and improve the experience of both residents and visitors,” said Minister Bedingfield.ACE representatives welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister and reaffirmed their commitment to continue collaborating with the authorities to ensure a safe, well-managed and attractive environment for the public, business operators and the thousands of tourists who visit Malta every year.The Ministry for Home Affairs and Security will continue to maintain regular engagement with all stakeholders in the sector, with the aim of strengthening the collective commitment towards safer communities, stronger public order and a sustainable tourism industry.

17 hours ago
Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpoints Electrogas as top story Daphne was working on before her death

Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpoints Electrogas as top story Daphne was working on before her death

Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpointed Electrogas as the top story that his mother was working on before her assassination in a car bombing, as he told a jury on Monday that “Yorgen Fenech seemed to be at the centre of everything” when it came to the power station.Matthew Caruana Galizia, one of Daphne’s sons and the person who now runs the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, was the primary witness on Monday as the jury trial against Fenech convened for its 29th day.He started his testimony by recounting how he worked with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which published the Panama Papers data leak in 2016 and of his shock at discovering that the leaked documents contained a Maltese connection.I was testing the system and found Maltese names involved, including Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. I couldn't believe my eyes, he said. He told jurors that he began discussing the findings with his mother in 2015: I had to share what I was seeing with my mother. It was too important.Reflecting on when the Panama Papers was eventually published, Caruana Galizia said: It was an extremely stressful time. I was not used to being in the public eye - no one knew who I was, and I liked that. Both me and my mother were subject to intense public scrutiny, like we were doing the bad thing.However, he said that the experience brought him and his mother even closer together: I felt even closer to my mum. It made me feel like we were in this together, like we were a team. Her investigative work started to become more important than my regular job, and I started travelling to Malta more often, to help her.Caruana Galizia told the court that his mother asked him to help obtain information about two offshore companies, Macbridge and 17 Black.I found an email that featured those two company names. The companies were crucial to the work we were doing, he said. Daphne, the court heard, already knew to look for the names of those two companies.What impressed me was that what she said in the message was completely accurate. She had this knowledge long before I did. I had never heard anything about these two companies. If she hadn't mentioned them, I would have never known, he said.Caruana Galizia told the court that his initial searches for links to Macbridge and 17 Black yielded no results: the breakthrough came after a fresh batch of Mossack Fonseca documents was obtained.According to Caruana Galizia, the documents showed that Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri were attempting to open bank accounts for their offshore companies, with those companies listed as target clients of 17 Black. He said this established a business relationship between the companies.He said that he was even more determined to find who was behind the companies after his mother’s murder, and travelled to the United Arab Emirates with Reuters journalist Stephen Grey in an attempt to obtain ownership information from Dubai's company register.The last time I was in the UAE was the day before the arrest of Yorgen Fenech, he recalled. His attempts to find the information he sought was ultimately in vain, he told the court.Caruana Galizia told the court that his mother once told him she had a source within Electrogas who was sending her emails and documents. She had shown him some of the material and said there were thousands more documents still to come.He said that they both understood the risks involved, as the source could have exposed themselves.I was travelling to Malta more often and couldn't believe what she was doing. She used to blow my mind, he said.Referring to the material, he added: Nexia BT was involved. It was a portal opening up and I could see hell.Caruana Galizia told the court that Electrogas appeared to be linked to everything.He said that the documents pointed to a company that was in difficulty and that, as he continued processing the data, I could see that Yorgen Fenech seemed to be at the centre of everything. He featured in countless emails.He said that he and his mother had planned to carry out a major investigation into Electrogas, analysing all the material they had gathered.My mother and I wanted to do a big Electrogas investigation and process everything, including the information we received. We never got to do that. When I see those emails, my heart starts beating fast... I'm taken back to what we were supposed to do.It was at this point that parte civile lawyer Jason Azzopardi earned himself two separate 50 fines for contempt of court: one for passing comments and another for telling defence lawyer Charles Mercieca I don't bribe witnesses. Resuming his testimony, Caruana Galizia told the court that after his mother's murder he handed a copy of the information he had gathered to Times of Malta journalist Jacob Borg. I wasn't in a state to work on it myself, he said.Caruana Galizia told the court that his mother first showed him leaked Electrogas emails during the early months of 2017. He said that the flow of documents continued before the June general election and even afterwards, with hundreds, if not thousands, of emails being received. We were working on it day and night, he testified.Some emails featuring Yorgen Fenech include references to a 'special K' or 'big K.' In one email, Yorgen Fenech wrote: I see some red flags. Can we discuss this tomorrow? I would like to keep Special K on our side.The witness was then shown another blog post by Daphne Caruana Galizia, titled 17 Black: The name of a company incorporated in Dubai.Caruana Galizia noted that this was the first time 17 Black had been publicly identified, at a time when virtually nothing was known about the company.He also pointed to a comment beneath the article, in which Daphne Caruana Galizia replied to a reader: A couple of the owners of their magic new corruption power station: and it's Yorgen Fenech.Caruana Galizia also referred to a joint investigation published by Times of Malta and Reuters in November 2018, which revealed that Yorgen Fenech was the owner of 17 Black.This article was crucial to me, because we were trying to work out what my mother never got to publish, he told the court. Asked by the judge whether he provided the information that ultimately identified Yorgen Fenech as the owner of 17 Black, the witness replied that he contributed information to support the investigation.After the murder I was in a blind panic. I lost my mother, but I also lost two massive things at the same time: I didn't know who to trust, and I had no resources to continue the investigation on my own.Returning to the witness stand for the afternoon session, Caruana Galiziai was shown several documents, including an FIAU report, and asked to explain what each is.One document referred to 17 Black having its name changed to Wings Development, while another includes scans of BOV statements and cheques issued in favour of Yorgen Fenech.The latter, Caruana Galizia testified, was sent to him by an anonymous source after his mother was killed, and he added that he had been informed by another source that the bank had wanted nothing to do with Fenech and had closed his accounts.Caruana Galizia testified that after his mother was killed, lead investigator Keith Arnaud asked him and his family to list all of the investigations she was working on at the time, in as much detail as possible.He said that it was “a horrible experience” for him, and said: “The one that concerned me the most was the first one on the list - Electrogas. The two that followed were also related to Electrogas.” He said that he continued to receive Electrogas leaks even after his mother was assassinated – including one at 4pm on the day of the murder, just an hour after the car bomb went off.The prosecution asked about Daphne’s laptop, and Caruana Galizia said that German federal police had it.He said that German authorities offered Maltese authorities the opportunity to send questions about the data. They asked us what we wanted to do with data copies of the laptop. The originals were given to a lawyer working on our behalf and they've been there ever since.” He is then asked about the minutes prior to his mother’s murder.He recalled hearing the explosion and initially thinking it was a gas explosion, but then “felt the blood drain away” as he saw the tower of smoke and approached it.“First, I saw fire on the road – the road was on fire. I saw pieces of metal and flesh. My eyes followed the smoke, and I saw a huge ball of fire. I ran towards it. The [car] horn was going off, it wouldn’t stop. I saw a shadow in the car and I remember saying ‘that’s my mum’.” Reflecting on how his mother’s murder transformed his life, Caruana Galizia summed it up: Ever since that day... it's been a disaster.I was a regular person. I'd go to work, go on holiday, spend time with my friends. After the murder, everything was forgotten. My life became about pursuing justice, about the investigation.I felt an enormous sense of responsibility... I felt this overwhelming urgency to work. I left my job and ended my career. I came back to Malta, and all my energy was invested in this. Considering how bad the situation was... we could do nothing.I want this to be over, once and for all. I want justice. Honestly, if something happens to me, I don't care. As long as I get justice for my mum, I can just disappear. After that, nothing else made sense.Caruana Galizia then faced cross-examination from Fenech’s defence team.He was asked about WhatsApp conversations between him and his mother about Macbridge and 17 Black in April 2016, and another former Police Commissioner Michael Cassar's resignation, which came weeks after the Panama Papers were released.Caruana Galizia said that his mother was frustrated that he had resigned rather than investigated the Panama Papers. She was also looking into suspected kickbacks to Schembri from the passport scheme at the time.That story was at the centre of much of the defence’s following questions.Defence lawyer Gianella de Marco referred to a blog post from April 2017 where Daphne connected Schembri and Nexia BT's Brian Tonna to kickbacks from Malta's passport scheme and asked Matthew Caruana Galizia if he and his mother had been working solely on Electrogas at the time.Caruana Galizia says that there were investigations that his mother worked on alone.I worked with her on the Panama Papers. I never sent her any data, I told her Maltese names were mentioned. She was working on the passport scheme [investigation] with regard to Keith Schembri, he said.De Marco replied that Daphne had copied Matthew into some emails she had sent to Muscat, Schembri and others in relation to the kickbacks story - but Matthew replied that he had been copied in because he was at home when the source came to their house to share the information they had about Muscat and Schembri.Caruana Galizia says that he never saw that source again, despite trying to make contact after the murder. The questioning continued with the defence referring to a post on Daphne's website published in May 2017 titled 'Why it was in November that the Prime Minister's chief of staff instructed Henley Partners to threaten to ruin me financially by suing me in a London court'The hiring coincided with when she started writing about Keith Schembri's cancer diagnosis and treatment.Caruana Galizia said that he doesn't recall the full detail, but does recall that passport concessionaires Henley Partners threatened to sue his mother - a case which never happened as she was murdered before.

17 hours ago
Birzebbuga feast fireworks hit by court order after fire allegedly caused over €100,000 in damages

Birzebbuga feast fireworks hit by court order after fire allegedly caused over €100,000 in damages

The skies over Birzebbuga's annual parish feast this past weekend were quieter than previous years after a court injunction blocked the locality's feast enthusiasts from launching most of their aerial fireworks.The injunction was issued after the owners and operators of fields adjacent to where the locality's fireworks were launched claimed to have suffered over 100,000 in damages as a result of a fire caused by fireworks on Thursday 30 July.They took the matter to court, and the courts issued an injunction blocked fireworks from being launched at that site.This court injunction did not relate to ground fireworks (ċikċivogi).The court application which was filed seeking the injunction, seen by The Malta Independent, noted that extremely serious incidents occurred on Thursday 30 July, as a result of fireworks launched for the feasts' final preparations.It was presented on the Friday prior to the feast celebrations on the basis that other remedies were sought before being advanced to these court proceedings, as well as because it was deemed the only effective remedy left to be used in order to avoid serious and irreparable prejudice.It was then issued by the courts on Saturday, 1 August. A compromise that allowed some fireworks to be launched for the feast was eventually reached. What led to the injunction?The court application sought the injunction to be in place until concrete guarantees are in force so that no harm or prejudice is caused to third parties any longer, as the applicants said that this was not the first such incident to happen as a result of the town's fireworks.The applicants said that this does not, in any way, request for the village feast not to be held.The request for the injunction, which was filed by lawyers Ishmael Psaila and Amadeus Cachia stated that Thursday's fireworks resulted in well over 100,000 in damages, according to a preliminary estimate.The application observed that this preliminary estimate did not take into account any indirect economic losses, environmental damage, or subsequent consequences to agricultural activity.The claimants said that these damages were serious enough for a criminal inquiry to be opened, under Magistrate Philip Galea Farrugia, who appointed several experts to investigate the causes of the incident, the damages incurred, how they came about, and the eventual responsibilities.The court injunction was requested by people owning and/or occupying farms, fields, dwellings, and properties located within the immediate perimeter of the site from which aerial fireworks are launched annually on Birzebbugia's feast, for St. Peter in Chains.Their properties, their agricultural activity, their livestock, their machinery and even their physical integrity are directly exposed to the risks resulting from the way in which this fireworks display is being organised and executed, the court application read, also listing vehicles, agricultural produce, crops, and other material that could easily catch fire again, as occurred on Thursday, later on.In addition, this continued that the potential consequences are not limited to economic damage but can, in fact, lead to serious injuries or even loss of human life.The court ruled that the danger invoked by the exponents is imminent, real and concrete and not merely possible or remote, citing several consecutive years where these nearby properties faced fires and damages as a result of these fireworks, on top of the significant damages caused last Thursday.The court stated that, according to what was observed and from evidence yet to be presented, these high danger levels have come about after a significant number of fireworks failed to reach the height at which they were intended to explode. This resulted in them falling back to the ground or exploding at a low altitude and subsequently setting alight the fields, farms, and private properties in the vicinity.The application said that the pyrotechnic associations were not conducting the safety procedure of spreading water on certain surfaces before a fire can start, for cases when winds are present while fireworks are being launched.Many of the fireworks were being launched from fields along a road, less than 170 metres from the nearest habitable building, rather than from designated chambers.The application continued that this phenomenon cannot be considered an isolated episode or as a simple fortuitous accident, but is a clear symptom of a structural risk that has been occurring year after year and that to this day has remained without effective remedy despite the various interpellations made by the exponents where all this has remained and continues to fall on deaf ears.The application continued that beyond property damage, this situation poses a danger to public health and safety as several people live and work daily within the perimeter where burning embers fall.The parties filing the injunction wished to stress that this request for court order should in no way be considered an attempt to hinder or prejudice the titular feast of St. Peter in Chains. They said that they love the feast, attend it, volunteer in it, and participate fully in it as residents themselves, however, the freedom to organise celebrations should never be exercised in a way that violates or endangers people's fundamental rights or exposes them to preventable and avoidable harm.The exponents stated that they attempted every possible remedy, over past years, to resolve this matter amicably before requesting the court's intervention. However, they said that either no response was given or no effective measures were taken to reduce the danger, resulting in the burning of vehicles, agricultural products, and other materials last Thursday, the court application observed.It continued that prima facie, the exponents have a clear right that their property, their livelihood, and their safety are not compromised by an activity that has already caused repeated and documented damage over the years as well as last Thursday.Therefore, it was suggested that since no preventive measures have been taken to avoid further damages from being incurred, the court should consider that damages may be induced once again through subsequent fires should fireworks be allowed to be launched during the official village feast celebrations.Given that such danger was noted to be immediate, concrete, and imminent, with the launching of fireworks scheduled for the village feast, the affected parties argued that the same consequences will repeat themselves.The court application read that property damages may not always be compensated with monetary funds, while any injury or loss of life is irreparable. Statements issued by the band clubs, politiciansAfter the court order was issued, both affected band clubs and their respective fireworks departments published their own statements on this matter.The Soċjetà Filarmonika San Pietru Banda Birżebbuġa A.D. 1990 stated that it filed an appeal to this decision on Sunday, 2 August but that the Court ordered for this court injunction to be upheld until then.The statement continued that the band clubs were allowed to set off 4-inch fireworks, and the club stated that it was in full conformity with with Maltese laws.It thanked the Prime Minister and Environment Minister Miriam Dalli for their assistance in finding it an alternate site from which the fireworks could be launched.The Għaqda Mużikali San Pietru Fil-Ktajjen Birżebbuġa A.D. 1957 informed Birzebbuga residents that it could not fire all the fireworks planned during the annual village feast earlier this weekend and that its fire commission would burn its materials in a reduced manner, in conformity with what was issued by the court.Following this court order, Culture Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea wrote on Facebook that he was closely following this situation and that he was in contact with the parties involved. He added that he will remain available to protect Maltese hobbies, while hearing out residents and their concerns.The Opposition's Shadow Minister for Planning and Lands, Birzebbuga native Stanley Zammit, expressed his solidarity with the affected pyrotechnics whilst showing respect to all those who have suffered damages as a result of feast fireworks. The PN MP noted regret that this year's Birzebbuga feast was celebrated with major restrictions regarding fireworks.However, he also stated that the Government has missed several opportunities to safeguard, in a tangible manner, the customs that make our festivities unique and, simultaneously, has failed to create the necessary protection for all those who could potentially suffer.Zammit said that We will continue working so that feasts can continue to be enjoyed to the fullest and so we have a holistic legal framework to protect our traditions while protecting anyone who may be affected by them. Zammit then thanked all volunteers on Monday morning for contributing to the feast that people were able to enjoy this past weekend, despite the absence of fireworks.PN MP Toni Bezzina, who also represents the district, similarly noted that a feast is only complete with its internal and external celebrations, which include the traditional fireworks display.Bezzina said that, as the procession of the statue of Birzebbugia's patron saint, St. Peter, was not accompanied by the annual fireworks display as per usual, all the nice words that feasts are part of our country's cultural heritage are in vain, if we are not ready to safeguard them.The Opposition MP stated that, as he has been saying for years, the celebration of our feasts, as we know them today, is under threat. He said that he tabled a parliamentary motion just last year for legal amendments to be introduced and for such safeguards to be instilled into Maltese laws, though the government opted to vote against it.I hope that common sense will prevail without further delay, so that what the people of Birzebbugia have gone through is not experienced by residents from other villages, MP Bezzina said.The Birzebbuga Local Council, which holds a strong PL majority of six PL councillors from nine, did not comment on the legal proceedings themselves, though it expressed its solidarity with the two Birzebbugia pyrotechnic associations.We understand that this is a difficult situation for all hobbyists and for all those who make great sacrifices throughout the year to see the fruits of their labour during the feast week, the Birzebbugia Local Council said, We hope for this situation to be resolved in the best interest of all parties involved, while we urge for respect, calm, and unity to prevail for the good of our community. Injunction may have caused precedent, sources saySources within the Maltese pyrotechnic community told The Malta Independent that this court action may very well have set a precedent affecting village feasts around the country moving forward.These sources told The Malta Independent that Maltese laws and relevant subsidiary legislation clearly state that, from the moment the fireworks leave the factory, the person responsible for them is the one who signs the licensed permit for their use, granted by the police.Hence, they questioned as to why the band clubs and their respective fire commissions were impeded by the court's injunction, rather than the permit signatories.They also said that the permit signatories were never called upon to testify before the court - something they, procedurally, disagreed with.They said that the pyrotechnic community has been in talks with several ministries since 2025 to ameliorate this situation for all parties and to better promote this side of Maltese culture.For the latter, they shared how there are ongoing discussions for an internationally accredited ITS diploma to be introduced on pyrotechnics, as well as courses, valid for five years, to complement the licensing of personnel.They concluded that whilst promoting education on this subject, it is envisioned to promote both the compliance of fireworks with national regulations while upholding public safety.

19 hours ago
Chef placed under probation after admitting domestic violence-related offences

Chef placed under probation after admitting domestic violence-related offences

A 32-year-old chef from Egypt, residing in Mosta, was placed under a three-year probation order after pleading guilty to a series of domestic violence-related offences against his former partner.The accused admitted the charges after being arraigned before the court on Monday.Inspector Carlos Cordina told the court the case originated from a report filed at one of the domestic violence hubs. The alleged victim reported an argument had broken out between the pair, prompting a separate report to the Qawra Police Station.The prosecution explained the couple had been in a relationship for several years and had experienced repeated arguments throughout that time.The victim also alleged that, on some occasions during arguments, the accused had used a knife to threaten her. However, Inspector Cordina clarified no knife was found in the accused's possession during the police investigation.The inspector testified he contacted the accused by phone, after which the man voluntarily presented himself to the police and fully cooperated with investigators.The accused admitted to charges including causing the victim to fear violence, harassing her, making threats through electronic communications, issuing insults and threats, and possessing an instrument intended to cause injury without police permission.After granting him time to reconsider his admission, the court confirmed his guilty plea and found him guilty of all charges.At the prosecution's request, and with no objection from the defence, the court issued a protection order in favour of the victim.The court also placed the accused under a three-year probation order and imposed a three-year protection order.The court warned that if he commits another offence during the probation period, he could face a 7,000 fine in addition to separate criminal proceedings.

20 hours ago
NCPE warns repeated bail for alleged violent offenders is putting women at risk

NCPE warns repeated bail for alleged violent offenders is putting women at risk

The repeated granting of bail to people accused of violence against women risks endangering victims and the wider public, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality has warned.In a statement, the NCPE expressed concern that insufficient weight may be given to the potential harm posed to alleged victims, their families and other vulnerable people when defendants with a reported pattern of violent behaviour are released on bail.The commission referred to a recent case involving a man facing several court proceedings over alleged violence against women, including the attempted murder of two girls.It said the man had been repeatedly granted bail despite also facing separate proceedings for allegedly breaching previous bail conditions.The NCPE said the case was not an isolated one, claiming that individuals accused of repeated violent behaviour were being released without sufficient consideration of the risks they could pose.While acknowledging the principle that every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the commission said courts must also consider the rights of alleged victims and others to life, safety and well-being.The NCPE said the problem was partly worsened by lengthy court proceedings, which could leave defendants facing several ongoing cases without any final judgment being delivered.It acknowledged government efforts to appoint more judges and magistrates in recent years but called for further resources to speed up proceedings.Cases in which an alleged victim may face an imminent risk of harm should be prioritised, the commission said.It also called for electronic tagging to be introduced at an early stage of proceedings in appropriate cases.The NCPE said effective prosecution, adequate protection for victims and the timely delivery of justice were essential in responding to violence against women.However, it added that court measures alone would not eradicate gender-based violence, which it described as being deeply rooted in patriarchal social structures and culture.The commission said such measures were nevertheless crucial to protect victims, provide them with relief and send a clear message that violence against women had no place in society.

21 hours ago