Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1025219
NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2018 2 Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Expression of Interest for Service Providers As part of the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Initiative, the Measures and Support Division within the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality would like to remind Service Providers: - 1. A Grant Scheme to address the objectives under Priority Axis 2 'Consolidating investment within the ICT sector' of Operational Programme I Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020, namely increasing the number of enterprises conducting online sales. 2. A Grant Scheme under Priority Axis 3 'Enhancing Malta's Competitiveness through Investment in SMEs' of Operational Programme I Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020 to support enterprises through the provision of external consultancy services to develop studies to assess the potential of future investment and operational interventions. Service Providers are being invited to submit their application to be included as registered service providers under the Schemes. Information Further information may be requested from the Measures and Support Division by sending an e-mail to msd.meae@gov.mt. Applications Application forms may be accessed from www.businessenhance.gov.mt. Applications and supporting documentation are to be submitted to the Measures and Support Division, Ministry for European Affairs and Equality, Pjazza San Kalċidonju, Floriana FRN 1530. Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 "Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges" Advert part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund Co-financing rate: Public Eligible (80% European Union; 20% National Funds) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "We're in a situation where we need to tell what the witness is going to testify about. In- stead of just writing 'about facts which he is privy to', we listed witness by wit- ness which questions we planned on asking." But the AG is opposing the request for witnesses to testify. "The relevance of a ques- tion or witness is decided by the court at the time it is asked. The point is that the court is being asked to decide on the relevance of witnesses without even having seen the acts of the inquiry." "The AG in this case is the defendant and has every right to ask questions. He can say that when asking this question he was wearing the hat of the FIAU chairman, of the AG, of the chief lawyer, but witnesses must testify." In the PlusOne incident case the AG had presented the full inquiry, yet in the Egrant case only part of the conclusions, Galea argued. "If the AG tes- tified in the Egrant inquiry as chairman of FIAU… we don't know. Doesn't the ap- plicant have the right to know in what capacity? So the leader of the Labour Party has the information on who testified, what they said and all the rest and the Leader of the Opposi- tion, whose duty is to inform the public on matters of politi- cal public interest, has no such information." Galea reminded that politi- cians were meant to serve the public. "If the inquiry says they are to be investigated further on criminal charges, the PM isn't allowing the leader of the Op- position to know, there is noth- ing to stop there not being any steps taken against them." Delia's role as watchdog was being stifled by this, said the lawyer. "He has a right to know. He gave a copy of proces-verbal to journalists, why not to some- one who has a direct interest in the case?" "Society is the victim," Galea said, "if the leader of the Oppo- sition can't hold the executive accountable…. "The AG has created a po- litical imbalance. So the AG gave a full copy to the PM and to the rest he gave the conclusions. So the PL functionaries have information which can be used politically, and the AG says they are irrelevant. If the AG breaches my rights have I no redress? Because his discretion is not subject to court scrutiny?" Lawyer Victoria Buttigieg from the office of the AG said it is clear that all the witnesses are irrelevant because the is- sue is the use of discretion. She accused the Leader of the Op- position of wanting the AG to do away with secrecy of the in- quiry. Galea hit back in his counter reply. The AG is not yet under oath, he said. "So are we to sim- ply take this statement as OK?" "The process is secret. OK. But just not for the PM, AG, the Commissioner of police and others? We insist that the court, even if it keeps it to it- self, must have a copy. We are in court not the pulpit," he said. Judge Mangion will rule on the issue on 19 September. magius@mediatoday.com.mt Lawyer for Opposition leader Adrian Delia accuses Attorney General of preventing him from informing public on matters of public interest Attorney General Peter Grech Attorney General defends secrecy of Egrant inquiry THE European Parliament today will vote over whether the EU should trigger action against Hungary's increas- ingly repressive policies, which human rights activists said are eroding fundamental rights, freedoms and the rule of law. In order to trigger proceed- ings under Article 7.1 of the Treaty on European Union, two-thirds of MEPs must vote to endorse a report on Hungary which concludes that the country is at risk of seriously breaching the EU's founding principles. This could ultimately result in the suspension of Hungary's EU membership rights. "It is essential to bring Hun- gary back to the EU's shared path of respect for rights and freedoms. Taking a stance now will also send a clear sig- nal that politics of fear, hate and disregard for opposing voices won't be tolerated in the EU," said Berber Biala- Hettinga, Amnesty Inter- national's expert on human rights in the EU. "Under the false pretext of tackling a migration crisis, the Hungarian government has been attacking NGOs, getting rid of independent media and removing essen- tial checks and balances to power. Hard-won freedoms and rights are vanishing be- fore our eyes," said Berber Biala-Hettinga. Amnesty International is calling on MEPs to vote yes, together with Human Rights Watch, Reporters without Borders, the Open Society European Policy Institute and other Hungarian and Eu- ropean civil society associa- tions. Amnesty International sees today's vote as a crucial one for Hungary as well as for human rights and the rule of law in the EU. Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union enables the EU to promote and safeguard its founding principles such as respect for the rule of law, for democratic values, and for fundamental rights and freedoms. Once initiated, it can lead to sanctions such as a sus- pension of Hungary's voting rights in the Council. Amnesty International, the Hungarian Helsinki Commit- tee and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union have drawn attention to alarming devel- opments since the renewed electoral victory of the ruling party Fidesz in the Hungar- ian parliamentary elections in April 2018. The report on which the MEPs will be voting to- day lists numerous reasons for concern, related to the functioning of the country's constitutional system, the independence of the judici- ary, freedom of expression and freedom of association, as well as the right to equal treatment, the rights of per- sons belonging to minorities, including Roma and Jews, the fundamental rights of mi- grants, asylum seekers and refugees, and many more. Amnesty: MEPs must send a strong message in critical vote for freedoms and rights in Hungary and in the EU MEPs in historic vote on Hungarian state of democracy Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses MEPs during a debate on the situation in Hungary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France