Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1477075
4 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 AUGUST 2022 4 NEWS NICOLE MEILAK EUROGROUP president and Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe warned that inflation measures taken on by EU mem- ber states should not unneces- sarily add to government's pub- lic debt. During a press conference in Malta, Donohoe said that the Eurogroup, or group of finance ministers of the eurozone, reached a consensus on budget policy before the summer that fiscal policy should be neutral throughout 2023, meaning that government's should not be working to grow or contract the economy. "We believe that fiscal poli- cy should not get in the way of trying to reduce inflation in the euro area. We need to have add- ed focus on the sustainability of borrowing and public debt in the years ahead." He added that the European Commission will be bringing forward proposals to the fiscal bills within the EU in the com- ing months, after which each member of the EU will have to respond back with their own view on the future of the EU's fiscal rules. The fiscal policies of each EU member state is in part gov- ernment by the Stability and Growth Pact. The rules state that each coun- try's budget deficit cannot ex- ceed 3% of GDP, while govern- ment debt cannot exceed 60% of GDP. These rules were suspended in May 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to give breathing room for countries to combat economic slowdown. The rules have remained sus- pended ever since. Meeting with Clyde Caruana Paschal Donohoe was in Mal- ta on Tuesday to visit Finance Minister Clyde Caruana. The two ministers discussed the changing geopolitical and economic environment, and how its affecting Malta, Ireland, and the entire Euro Area. Both ministers emphasised the importance of close coor- dination between national eco- nomic and fiscal policies, espe- cially against the backdrop of rising prices and reduced global growth. "While Malta's economic per- formance is among the best in Europe there are a number of challenges ahead. It is more im- portant than ever that we main- tain and strengthen the close co- operation we established during the pandemic, to ensure that our actions at national level com- plement each other and that the Euro Area economy continues to grow," Donohoe said. The coordination of economic policy will be a major focus of the Eurogroup's agenda until the end of the year. The two minis- ters went on to discuss other Eu- ropgroup priorities such as the development of the Economic and Monetary Union and the digital Euro project. "Navigating these difficult times requires strong and flexi- ble policies that are sustainable and offer support to vulnerable sectors of society. This must happen within the context of a fiscally responsible framework which does not jeopardise to- morrow's well-being for todays." Eurogroup president warns inflation measures should not burden public debt MATTHEW AGIUS A bouncer with a history of con- victions for theft and violent crimes has been charged with beating up and grievously injur- ing a man while on duty at a party in Rabat, late last month. Jean Paul Azzopardi, 29, from Bormla, was arraigned before Magistrate Gabriella Vella this afternoon, accused of inflicting both slight and grievous bodily harm upon a party goer who had been involved in an argument. During his arraignment, Azzo- pardi told the court that he works as a driver. Inspector Roderick Agius ex- plained that on 31 July, a man had filed a report at the Zebbug police station, claiming that he had been arguing with his girlfriend at Gi- anpula, when the accused inter- vened and beat him up, causing him to suffer several injuries. Some of the injuries were clas- sified as slight, but others were certified as grievous in nature. The man was currently under the care of an eye specialist as he was experiencing double vision, add- ed the inspector. The prosecution also pointed out that the accused had been out on bail in connection with two separate, ongoing criminal cases at the time of the altercation. Lawyer Franco Debono, ap- pearing for the accused, asked the inspector whether he had spoken to Azzopardi before the man's arrest on Monday. A police ser- geant had spoken to him before then, replied the inspector. "So, from 31 July he spoke to a sergeant and what, he was sent home?" asked the lawyer. Inspector Agius explained that medical certification regarding the permanence of some of the injuries suffered by the alleged victim had been pending. The sergeant had sent for the accused and had spoken to him several days before the arrest, but the injuries had only been certi- fied as grievous around two days ago, the inspector replied. The inspector objected to Debono's line of questioning, as to whether the accused had ap- proached the victim during that time, saying that he had never been asked such questions during an arraignment before. Debono told the court that he had been arguing for "many years" that the courts should first examine whether the na- ture of the alleged crime justified an arraignment under arrest or whether an arraignment by sum- mons would suffice. "I hope the time will come, when this exer- cise is carried out, where not only the arrest is justified but also the arraignment itself." The defence requested bail, which was objected to by the prosecution on the grounds of lack of trustworthiness. "The ac- cused's criminal record shows that the majority of his past con- victions are related to violent crime. The accused had already been given opportunities to re- form by the court. His latest bail was granted in April." The accused did not take his bail conditions seriously, suggest- ed the inspector. "I don't feel he is mature enough to appreciate the responsibilities of being on bail. This incident could have easily been avoided if the accused had used his common sense…he had no reason to intervene." "The accused is entitled to his rights, but these must be bal- anced with the rights of society. The victim had been at a club with his partner, minding his own business when he was phys- ically attacked," argued Inspector Agius. In his counterarguments, Debono accused the prosecution of asking for a decision on the merits during the arraignment stage. "Almost a month, three weeks, and two days, has passed since the incident, and in all this time he did not try to escape or ap- proach witnesses, despite being aware that he was a suspect," ar- gued the lawyer. The court, noting that the ac- cused was still presumed inno- cent, granted him bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000. He was also ordered to sign a bail book every day and prohibited from going to Gianpula. A protection order in favour of the victim was also imposed, the court warning Azzopardi that breaching it would also consti- tute a breach of his bail condi- tions, besides making him liable to a fine of up to €7,000 and two years imprisonment. Bouncer accused of beating, seriously injuring club patron Eurogroup president and Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe (left) with Finance Minister Clyde Caruana during a joint press conference