Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1387622
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 JUNE 2021 NEWS ceed to Malta only after seeking pre-au- thorisation from cov- id19.vetting@gov.mt, who would request a pre-departure PCR, 14 days quarantine and PCRs during the peri- od of quarantine. A health minis- try update issued on Thursday never men- tioned the UK vaccine certificates and had left many wondering about travel to and from the UK. People in the UK told Malta- Today that when contacting the COVID helpline for clarifica- tion, they were told in no uncer- tain terms that as of 1 July, the UK goes on the red travel list for Malta and that, therefore trav- el between Malta and the UK would be banned. They did confirm that if you are Maltese or a Malta resident without the COVID certificate can apply by email to get per- mission to travel to Malta. Motor fanatics don't like ban on fuel engines CAR enthusiasts from the Malta Automobile Club are launching a petition against government proposals contained in a 'green paper' that wants to ban the importation of internal combustion engined vehicles, heralding a new era of electric vehicles. MAC spokesperson Alfred Farrugia said con- sumers should have the right to purchase the vehicle of their choice without interference from the government. "The incentives offered to consumers who have an interest in purchasing an electric vehi- cle are discriminatory," Farrugia claimed, and insisted the government cannot have a mandate to enforce a future policy when it will no longer be in power. "As long as internal combustion engined vehi- cles continue to be manufactured, residents of Malta and Gozo should have the right to pur- chase, own and drive such vehicles, without any interference from the government," Farrugia said. The MAC insists the government should be promoting the importation of ethanol and eth- anol-blended fuels. "The Malta Automobile Club maintains that electric vehicles are not the future, but part of it. This has been claimed by ePure, the unified voice of the European renewable ethanol indus- try," Farrugia said. ADPD reiterates call for Scicluna to resign over FATF greylisting MATTHEW VELLA MALTA'S Green party ADPD has insisted that Central Bank governor and former finance minister Edward Scicluna has to bear political respon- sibility for the institutions that were supposed to have fought money laun- dering, after Malta's greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force. Scicluna was made Central Bank governor after resign- ing from the House, mak- ing way for the co-op- tion of his replacement, finance minister Clyde Caruana. "Such appointments send a clear mes- sage: that there is no serious- ness in the leadership of the country. G o v e r n - ment should embark on a deep and proper clean up instead of shedding crocodile tears. We are still wait- ing," said ADPD chairperson Car- mel Cacopardo. Addressing the press outside the Office of the Prime Minister, Ca- copardo acknowledged that many decisions had been taken in recent months to strengthen the country's regulatory framework against mon- ey laundering and organized crime. But Cacopardo said he not convinced these decisions were tak- en to strengthen the integrity of the system. "There is still doubt as to wheth- er what has been done is merely a reaction to the sensitivities of the international community. Unfortu- nately, the country is used to weak institutions by design. "The fact that the police sudden- ly started taking action in cases of money laundering does not detract from the fact that for years the police force was prevented from act- ing as several of its officers were in the pockets of criminals. It is this that has led to zero enforcement for many years. What until recent- ly was just a suspicion nowadays is confirmed. We know the names of those involved." Cacopardo also pointed out that the entire Labour parliamenta- ry group had refused to condemn Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri for their involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. "Instead of sending a strong mes- sage in favour of seriousness, Par- liament chose to defend white col- lar crime. Unfortunately, the action against money laundering came late. The criminal complicity of the government and the institutions in- volved in all this has seriously dam- aged the economy and society. It is those at lower income levels who will feel most of the negative im- pacts of all this. They need our em- pathy and protection." Cacopardo also called out both the government and the Opposition for their national consensus on inter- national tax avoidance. "The sale of the citizenship scheme has further contributed to the breakdown of Malta's reputation as a trustworthy jurisdiction. Malta's reputation has been destroyed over the years. The message out there was that govern- ment protects financial crime and criminals." ADPD said as former finance minister, Edward Scicluna should resign his current role as Central Bank governor, for having political responsibility for Malta's greylisting by the FATF