Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1435908
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 8 DECEMBER 2021 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% Natio nal Funds) ANNOUNCEMENT – 1st December 2021 Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Last cut-off date for Call 1 e-Commerce Grant Scheme Announcement of Call 2 e-Commerce Grant Scheme Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges The Measures and Support Division within the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) designated by the Managing Authority for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 as the Intermediate Body responsible for administering aid schemes for enterprises under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014–2020, would like to announce the following: • Call 1 e-Commerce Grant Scheme Last cut-off date – noon of 31 December 2021 • Launch of Call 2 e-Commerce Grant Scheme Priority Axis 2 – 'Consolidating investment within the ICT sector' This scheme shall be administered through an open rolling call system and shall introduce a Simplified Cost Option for implementation of Operations under Call 2. Next cut-off dates are set at noon of: Friday, 14 January 2022 and Monday, 31 January 2022; Friday, 11 February 2022 and Monday, 28 February 2022; Friday, 18 March 2022 and Wednesday, 30 March 2022. The cut-off dates are also published on the Business Enhance website https://businessenhance.gov.mt and may be accessed from https://businessenhance.gov.mt/ContentPage.aspx?tE0CdQZCR0IVU2+UdJooPWlzUtrTxHHq Information Sessions on Call 2 e-Commerce Grant Scheme will be held online on 15 and 16 December 2021. There will be two information sessions, one at 10.00 hours and another at 14.30 hours, on each of the identified dates. Interested participants are requested to register online from https://businessenhance.gov.mt/InformationSession.aspx?tE0CdQZCR0Li0GkE2DsSBHECcQCAFUuL Further information on these calls including the Guidance Notes and the Guidelines for Implementation may be obtained from https://businessenhance.gov.mt or by contacting the Measures and Support Division on msd.eufunds@gov.mt or 2295 7110. KARL AZZOPARDI A backlash by anti-choice ad- vocates on social media against a MaltaToday interview of an abortion rights activist, has forced the retreat of sponsors of the newspaper. MaltaToday has respected the wishes of advertisers who feared a backlash from pro-life critics who were incensed at the interview with obstetrician Prof. Isabel Stabile on 'From The Fringe'. Prof. Stabile is an abortion rights campaign- er and part of Doctors For Choice, a pro-choice doctors' association. "We thank all our commer- cial sponsors and respect that they are in business, where de- cisions are motivated by other concerns. As a newspaper ed- itor, I am not surprised at the undemocratic values of the vo- cal, anti-choice lobby who use threats of commercial boycotts to cow businesses into submis- sion. Theirs is a disservice to the free press that betrays their illiberal values," MaltaToday editor Matthew Vella said. Over the last two seasons, the From The Fringe series has sought to feature characters and personages from Maltese life and society who seldom form part of the daily news cy- cle and have their own stories to share about the way they live, the jobs they do, or what they believe in. Taking to the comments sec- tion, pro-life individuals voiced their disagreement at com- ments passed by Prof. Stabile during the interview. "It's [abortion] pure evil not a right. If your mother got rid of you in that way, you wouldn't be here," one of the comment- ers said. Others claimed a conspiracy behind abortion. "The interest of these people is not woman, but to make profit from the fe- tus abortion. They sell fetus to pharmaceutics to make exper- iments on it…" The backlash was taken to the next level, with one of the individuals posting the video to the public Facebook group 'Abortion in Malta? Not in my name!', calling on members to "take note of the companies sponsoring the abortionists' campaign", hinting at a boycott of the series sponsors. One of the commenters even blamed natural disasters on the pro-choice lobby. "God have mercy, this is Babel, no wonder all these disasters on earth, like in the times of Noah. Repent- ance is needed before God will destroy the whole world by pestilence." Pro-life backlash on MaltaToday interview leads to ads withdrawal Prof. Isabel Stabile on 'From The Fringe' MATTHEW AGIUS THE owners of a construction company that had been de- clared responsible for a 2011 collapse that killed a young French tourist, have lost a court case in which they contested the de-registration of their company over tax irregularities. James Mifsud and Gordon Farrugia, directors of Buz-Dov Developments Ltd, had filed their case against the Registrar of Companies in August 2020, after the company was struck off in July of that year. In a judgment handed down on Monday, Mr Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey, presiding the Commer- cial section of the Civil Courts, denied their request for re-list- ing. Spiteri Bailey observed that the Registrar of Companies had testified that the striking off had been motivated by the compa- ny's failure to file annual tax documents for the 2014 to 2020 period, its annual accounts for the 2013-2019 period and failing to supply information relating to its beneficial owners. It had also been fined €4,509 for these shortcomings, the court was told. The plaintiffs had claimed in court that the striking off was ir- regular as only one director, and not both, had received a written warning of proceedings against them. But the court noted that al- though they had declared through their lawyers that they would settle the outstanding tax amounts "within a reasonable time," 13 months later they had done nothing. The court had given them a further 3 months to bring their position into line but despite this, they had not complied. The judge remarked that the actions and attitude of the plain- tiffs made it clear to the court that they were not interested in the reactivation and relisting of their company, despite their claims to the contrary. Construction company loses case against de- registration over tax issues