What the Sunday papers say…

MaltaToday reports that Nationalist MP Tonio Fenech has accused a Swedish pensions agency of harbouring an agenda against a Malta registered pensions fund he directs. The Maltese fund is currently embroiled in an investigation into the way that €216 million in pensions savings could have been ‘fraudulently’ transferred into the fund through irregular sales tactics of Konsumerkraft call centre, in Spain. The investigation looks into whether the call centre was doing the bidding for the Maltese fund.

The newspaper’s front page carries a story about the plans for Corinthia’s planned high-rise towers on the site of the Radisson SAS hotel at St. George’s Bay, explaining that the project that the two towers will be comparable in height to those proposed for the nearby Radisson hotel site. The paper’s survey also reveals that Corruption has become a major concern for voters since the January survey.

The front page also pays homage to one of the world’s greatest ever boxing champions and sports icons, Muhammad Ali, whose death was announced yesterday. 

Sunday paper Illum reports the Institute of Maltese Journalists chairman Karl Wright has confirmed that it had to intervene to cool down a dispute between The Times of Malta and the General Workers Union paper L-Orizzont. The front page shows that Independent MP Marlene Farrugia’s announced new Orange part, which marks the first time a third party will be in Parliament in 27 years, will have its general headquarters in Qrendi. The paper also reports that President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said that some online blogs are “intimidating” voters and causing “social violence”, by creating “a culture of hatred and cruelty.” She urges Parties to stop offering protection to those who use the media to tarnish people’s private lives.

The Sunday Times reports that Marlene Farrugia’s new political party, the Democratic party, has adopted a pro- human rights approach to migration but it has not yet taken a position on civil rights issues. The party, unveiled yesterday, is backed by a number of scientists including hydrologist Marco Cremona, but little is known about its values and beliefs.  The front page also reports that the Seabank Group has received at least €1.5 million in revenue fromreserved residential units in the towers planned on land currently occupied by the ITS.

The Malta Independent on Sunday reveals that the Police have not started investigating any of the claims and leads that emerged in the international Panama Papers leaks. The paper reports that there is currently no particular impetus by the police force to do so, ad the force continues to ignore the paper’s requests for comment about the said investigations. The paper also claims that two MPs have already shown interest in joining the newly unveiled Democratic Party. Quoting, party leader Marlene Farrugia, the paper does not divulge the names of the MPs. The newspaper also carries a report about the measures needed to accommodate traffic issues for the proposed high-rises and hotels in the Paceville area. Planning consultant Bjorn Bonello has warned that measures may include removing on-street parking spaces along main public transport corridors, including more roundabouts rather than traffic lights and new public parking spaces.

It-Torca reports that members of the Judiciary will be receiving an individual report including information about cases that are currently in court. The aim will be to increase accountability and to give further attention to pending cases. The paper also reports that the new Democratic Party may face further challenges in establishing its preferred colour, orange. The Electoral Commission has claimed that it may prove impossible to give the party the colour it wants because of Labour Party’s preferred colour red. The proximity of the colours may confuse voters, the paper claims.

Il- Mument attacks the government’s choice of people to serve in its next step to setting up the Lands Authority, which will replace the Lands Department. The paper reports that lawyer, and former PL candidate Alex Sciberras is being mentioned for the role or Executive leader of the authority.

Kull Hadd carries an interview with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat about environmental issues. Muscat says that the government could have been more sensitive in certain issues, but that its actions were nothing compared to those of the previous government in the same sector.