Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1488752
4 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 DECEMBER 2022 4 NEWS Announcement Business Enhance Call 4 SME Digitalisation Grant Scheme and Call 4 Digital Intensification Grant Scheme Recovery and Resilience Plan for Malta The Measures and Support Division, within the Ministry for the Economy, European Funds and Lands (MEFL), is the institution in charge of the implementation of investment C3-I4 'Rolling out measures to intensify the digitalisation of the private sector'. The management structure is established by Council Implementing Decision on the approval of the assessment of the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Malta 11941/21 and supporting Annex ADD 1, by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and of the European Union Recovery Instrument set up by Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094. The Measures and Support Division would like to announce that the following Calls will be launched on 1 st January 2023: • Call 4 SME Digitalisation Grant Scheme • Call 4 Digital Intensification Grant Scheme Both of these calls will be managed through open rolling calls with periodical cut-off dates. The cut-off dates until end June 2023 are set at noon of the following dates: • Call 4 SME Digitalisation Grant Scheme 16 January 13 February 17 March 14 April 15 May 16 June 31 January 28 February 30 March 28 April 31 May 30 June • Call 4 Digital Intensification Grant Scheme 31 January 28 February 30 March 28 April 31 May 30 June Further information on these calls including the respective Guidance Notes and the Guidelines for Implementation may also be obtained from https://businessenhance.gov.mt or by contacting the Measures and Support Division on msd.eufunds@gov.mt or 2555 2635. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 But 70% said they are opposed to abortion "if the pregnancy does not place the mother's life at risk." Respondents were asked wheter they agreed or disagree with abortion in the following circumstances: when the preg- nancy endangers the life of the mother; when the pregnan- cy does not endanger the life of the mother; and when the mother does not wish to have more children. With regard to the question of abortion in cases where a woman's life "is not at risk", a radical difference was noted in gender with 58% of women on- ly, versus 78% of men express- ing themselves against. The Church also said that op- position to abortion "increases significantly in the categories above 24 years of age", a trend noticed in previous MaltaTo- day surveys. An amendment to the crimi- nal code to allow for abortions when the woman's life and health is at stake has passed to the committee stage in parlia- ment. The bill passed with all 42 Labour MPs voting in favour and 34 Nationalist MPs voting against. The Labour government's bill was the subject of heated debate in recent weeks. An an- ti-abortion march in Valletta attracted thousands of people, including Nationalist Party politicians, members of the clergy, and other personalities like River of Love pastor Gor- don Manche. The main concern, as brought up by a group of aca- demics, was that the definition of 'health' in the bill was too wide and would include men- tal health as grounds for abor- tion. This was shot down by Health Minister Chris Fearne and Ab- ela himself, who both argued that the health of the moth- er should be a priority in the amendment. Now, the bill will be discussed in parliament's Consideration of Bills committee, where the amendment will be discussed in more legal detail. Church survey finds 80% agree with abortion when 'woman's life is in danger' NICOLE MEILAK AN anti-abortion activist has filed a po- lice report after noticing a crack in the glass door of her clinic. Life Network Foundation chairperson Miriam Sciberras linked the crack to her efforts against an amendment that would allow for abortions when a wom- an's life or health is in danger. "Someone's annoyed that I'm speaking for and defending the voiceless babies," Sciberras said in a Facebook post. "Violence is a cowardly act. Because of this, despite them breaking my clinic door in an attempt to intimidate me, I promise that I will continue to work for the lives of the most vulnerable in soci- ety and in favour of tomorrow's unborn generations." This comes a day after parliament voted to push the abortion amendment to com- mittee stage. The Labour government's bill was the subject of heated debate in recent weeks. An anti-abortion march in Valletta attract- ed thousands of people, including National- ist Party politicians, members of the clergy, and other personalities like River of Love pastor Gordon Manche. The main concern, as brought up by a group of academics, was that the definition of 'health' in the bill was too wide and would include mental health as grounds for abor- tion. This was shot down by Health Minister Chris Fearne and Abela himself, who both argued that the health of the mother should be a priority in the amendment. During the parliamentary vote, Labour MPs Randolph De Battista and Rebecca Buttigieg received anonymous and threat- ening letters containing homophobic and misogynistic comments. The letter to Buttigieg called her a "dirty Labour whore", while the sender called De Battista a "turncoat". Anti-abortion activist files police report over damaged door Life Network Foundation chairperson Miriam Sciberras links the damage to her work campaigning against abortion