Wednesday, June 30, 2021 | No. 26,637 www.timesofmalta.com | €1 Gozo surgeon on pole to replace Manwel Mallia as MP PAGE 5 By-law banning caravans along Coast Road hits brick wall MATTHEW XUEREB The government is stalling a new by-law drafted by the Naxxar local council to stop caravans and camper vans from parking permanently along the coast. Mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami told Times of Malta the council prepared the by-law but the Local Govern- ment Ministry, headed by José Herrera, was delaying the pro- cess, by, among others, asking the council for an impact as- sessment of the new rules. “We are finding England's forward Harry Kane celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 round of 16 football match great difficulties between England and Germany in London yesterday. PHOTO: AFP SEE STORY ON PAGE 27 to issue new rules” “The council is very con- cerned about the issue of the Degiorgio brothers seek caravans along the coast,” the mayor said. “We cannot do anything about the ones in the boathouse area behind Splash and Fun be- meeting with Europol cause the government has reg- ularised them but we are finding great difficulties to IVAN MARTIN Muscat has since admitted to the murder Carmelo Abela in “serious crimes”, includ- issue new rules to stop caravans after he was given a presidential pardon for ing “complicity in armed robbery”. and campers from spending all another crime. Brussels responded to that letter by refus- summer along the Coast Road,” Yorgen Fenech has been charged for his ing to intervene in the Maltese justice sys- Muscat Fenech Adami added. Two of the alleged assassins in the Daphne alleged role in commissioning the killing, tem, and instead directed them to speak She said that over the years, Caruana Galizia assassination case have re- for which he pleads not guilty. with Europol. The Degiorgio brothers’ the council had been insisting quested a meeting with the EU’s law The move to reach out to Europol comes lawyer, William Cuschieri, on Monday wrote with the authorities to take ac- enforcement agency. after last month the Degiorgios corresponded to Europol’s top brass and said the informa- tion but hardly found any coop- George and Alfred Degiorgio this week with European Commissioner for Justice, Di- tion the two had was “so sensitive and im- eration or support. wrote to Europol’s deputy executive direc- dier Reynders, after the government had re- portant that they are only willing to share Questions sent to minister tor Will Van Gemert requesting a sit-down jected their requests for a pardon. the same with officials of Europol”. Herrera were not answered. meeting to ensure “justice in Malta is The brothers claim the Maltese authori- Cuschieri says that this information In April, Times of Malta re- served evenly and not selectively”. ties do not want to hear them out because could then be communicated to a Maltese ported how caravans had started The Degiorgio brothers, along with Vince the information they have to offer includes magistrate by Europol in their function as “hogging” a public car park in Muscat, have been charged with planting the alleged involvement of former economy court-appointed experts. Għallis, on the Coast Road. the bomb that killed the journalist in Bid- minister Chris Cardona in the 2017 murder nija in October 2017. as well as the involvement of OPM Minister CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 | WEDNESDAY, juNE 30, 2021 timES of mAltA NATIONAL ‘Beggar’ accused of theft remanded EDWINA BRINCAT A man who allegedly knocked on the doors of el- derly residents begging for alms and making off with a woman’s wallet ended up behind bars yesterday. Chris Farrugia, a 40- year-old Cospicua resident, was arraigned and charged with robbing his 85-year- old victim of €200 in cash, pestering residents by beg- ging for alms, leading an idle and vagrant life, as Caravans along the Coast Road. PHOTO: JONATHAN BORG well as relapsing. The charges date back to June 17 when the wallet was stolen in Triq Ineż Soler, Santa Luċija, at around 2pm. That same day, and Invasion of caravans also four days later, the suspect allegedly molested other residents in the lo- cality, including an 83-year- old woman. is now an annual sight The man pleaded not guilty but no request for CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 restaurateur Claude Camilleri sued the au- Lands Authority and the Mellieħa local bail was made at the ar- thorities for failing to take action and for council, holding them responsible for the raignment stage. The invasion of caravans has become an allowing “the picturesque bay” to turn into damages he suffered along the years due to The court, presided over annual sight near beaches such as Ta’ Fra “a slum area”. their inaction. by Magistrate Joseph Mif- Ben in Qawra, Żonqor Point, Marsascala, Last week, Infrastructure Malta placed sud, remanded the accused and Mistra Bay, limits of Selmun, with no limestone boulders at Mistra Bay to stop in custody remarking that resolution in sight. “Boulders placed at motorists from driving onto the protected the elderly deserved pro- A caravan that has an inbuilt engine can Mistra Bay in response to pebbled beach or caravan owners parking tection rather than suffer park on public roads just like any standard along the perimeter. being robbed. vehicle which must observe traffic regula- request by ombudsman” According to Infrastructure Malta, the Inspector Paul Camilleri tions. Caravans without an engine or trailers boulders were placed there in response to prosecuted. Lawyer Chris- on their own may only be parked on the road Camilleri, owner of Margo’s restaurant a request by the ombudsman – who had in- topher Chircop was legal if secured to or towed by a vehicle. located in Mistra Bay, filed a civil case vestigated the issue – the Environment Au- aid counsel. Also in April – after 13 years of putting up against the police commissioner, the thority (ERA) and other entities, to ensure with caravans parked in Mistra Bay – Tourism Authority, Transport Malta, the access to the beach. CONTACT US Times of Malta is published by Allied Newspapers Limited, ‘Pair do not trust Triq L-Intornjatur, Zone 1, Central Business District, Mrieħel CBD1050 GENERAL ENQUIRIES 2276 4400 ADVERTISING [email protected] Malta authorities’ LETTERS TO EDITOR [email protected] CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 with details of the involvement of both politicians NEWSROOM [email protected] in the serious crimes. NIGHT EDITORIAL [email protected] Cuschieri says that his clients do not trust the On Cardona, the Degiorgios said they were will- Maltese institutions but still wish to pass on the ing to provide details on the involvement of the SPORTS [email protected] information they hold. then Labour deputy leader in what is believed to SUBSCRIPTION 2276 4443 / [email protected] The lawyer said the communication does not be a 2015 plot to assassinate Caruana Galizia. impinge on the current criminal proceedings The Degiorgios also claim to have information RATES (including VAT and delivery): they were facing in connection with the assassi- on the involvement of Abela and Cardona in 12 months (Monday to Sunday): €380; 6 months (Monday to nation and the fact they were writing “does not other serious crimes, saying they are in posses- Sunday): €200; 3 months (Monday to Sunday): €110. impact or influence their line of defence” in sion of evidence showing the “names and details One year for The Sunday Times of Malta ONLY: €95.50 those criminal proceedings. of the masterminds of those crimes”, two of We cover most of the island. The Degiorgios said they were offering informa- whom were the two politicians along with mem- tion in exchange for immunity from prosecution, bers of the police force. times of malta WeDNesDaY, juNe 30, 2021 | 3 NATIONAL Lands Authority without audit chief as governance critic is ‘redeployed’ JACOB BORG meeting she wished to be pre- sent for. She said in the report that the board’s failure to immediately The Lands Authority has been act on the state advocate’s ad- left without an internal audit vice directly impacted good chief after the incumbent was governance and transparency “redeployed” following a at the authority. scathing report about the regu- The dispute appears to have lator’s inner workings. worsened towards the end of In a bid to improve trans- last year when the board, ac- parency within the authority, cording to the report, cut off all an internal audit directorate communication with the chief headed by a chief audit officer audit officer. was created to independently Board documents and min- scrutinise transactions over utes were also withheld to the €100,000 entered into by the auditor, the report continues. authority’s board and CEO. The Lands Authority was set up in on the back of a pledge for “Call will be issued more transparency about how public land is sold off. once all the Reforms were carried out to Charlene Muscat, inset, was appointed internal audit chief of the what was then known as the procedural aspects Lands Authority in 2018. government property depart- are completed” ment, in the wake of the Gaf- farena scandal, which had led Charlene Muscat, who was request, was “redeployed” to “A call will be issued once to the resignation of minister handed the role in 2018, au- a different role within the pub- all the procedural aspects are Michael Falzon in 2016. thored a critical report in re- lic service. completed,” the spokesperson Businessman Marco Gaffa- sponse to being shut out of However, one source within said, adding the new chief audit rena recently lost an appeal to board meetings, in what she the authority said Muscat was officer will retain all rights af- force the sale of an property in said was a blow for good gover- “left dangling” about whether forded to this role, including full Old Mint Street, Valletta which nance and transparency within her contract would be renewed, access to all documents and February audit report that the has been the subject of a con- the authority.