Parliament questions

Foreign Minister and North Africa

Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said he would have travelled to four North African countries by the end of the year.

Replying to a parliamentary question, Dr Frendo said he will be visiting Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. He has already been to Libya twice since his appointment as Foreign Minister in June, but does not exclude the possibility of going there again before the year is out.

In Tunisia and Egypt, Dr Frendo will be leading a Maltese delegation for bilateral talks while, in Algeria, he will be taking part in a 5+5 conference.

AFM spent Lm714,215 this year on illegal immigrants

Up to last Thursday the Armed Forces of Malta had 758 illegal immigrants under their custody, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told parliament yesterday.

In total, 478 of these immigrants were held in the closed centre at the Safi Barracks, while the rest were accommodated at the open centre at Lyster barracks in Hal Far.

Last year the AFM spent just under Lm670,000, while so far this year Lm714,215 have already been spent. Dr Gonzi was replying to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Adrian Vassallo.

Only 13 electric cars on Maltese roads so far

Up to the end of last month, there were only 13 licensed electric cars on Maltese roads, information given yesterday in Parliament by Roads and Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett revealed.

Mr Mugliett was replying to questions by MLP spokesman Adrian Vassallo, who asked the minister to provide statistics regarding the number of cars on Maltese roads this year.

In total there were 271,195 licensed vehicles till 30 September, out of which 98,732 are vehicles with engines below 1300cc.

The number of route buses, mini-buses, chauffer driven cars and other commercial vehicles amounted to 48,407 vehicles; the number of privately owned vehicles, including motorcycles, reached 210,074.

Maltese and Libyan experts will meet over visas and illegal immigrants issue

A group of local experts will meet with their Libyan counterparts to discuss a number of issues regarding problems Maltese businessmen say they are facing when requesting visas for Libya, as well as to discuss the illegal immigrants issue, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg announced yesterday.

Dr Borg was speaking in parliament during question time. The idea to have experts from both sides meet over the issues is an attempt to extend the good work done during the recent visit to Libya by the Maltese delegation, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, he said.

He said that the illegal immigrants issue was a problem for both countries.

However, he appealed for the issue not to be politicised. Dr Borg was referring to comments regarding illegal immigrants made by opposition leader Dr Alfred Sant on Sunday during a Malta Labour Party activity.

Dr Sant had called for a national conference to be set up for the issue to be discussed widely.

Dr Borg said that “it is not a conference that we need” but tackling the issue from many channels, which the government was already doing.

He said that nobody was going to come to our rescue and that we have to fend for ourselves in order to solve the problem.

498 applications to join police force

Some 498 would-be police officers filed an application to join the force following the recent call that closed in July, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said yesterday. Dr Borg was speaking in parliament during question time in reply to a query submitted by MP Jason Azzopardi. The applications had to be submitted by 28 July.

Only 26 arraignedfor breaching littering act this year

Only 26 people have been arraigned in court over breaching the littering act. Six of these have been found guilty and given fines, three were not found guilty and the rest of the cases are still being heard, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg said yesterday.

Dr Borg was replying questions by Labour MP Adrian Vassallo in parliament. The majority of the cases relate to illegal dumping, Dr Borg explained.

351 offences registered in Paceville this year

Up to September the Police investigated 351 reports in Paceville, mostly related to sexual assaults, fights, theft, breach of public peace and similar offences, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg told parliament yesterday, in reply to questions by Labour MP Adrian Vassallo.