Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514895
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 JANUARY 2024 ANALYSIS MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt THE environmental NGO Friends of the Earth Malta and the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation have collected over 1,000 signatures in a petition calling on European decision-makers not to include Malta's gas pipeline under the EU-funded projects of common interest (PCI). Malta's hydrogen-ready, gas pipeline is eligilbe for funding under the Con- necting Europe Programme, but its in- clusion in the list of PCIs must be re- newed every year. In February, MEPs and member states will vote again on the sixth PCI list of projects. The two NGOs say that clauses in Electrogas agreements – the deal for a gas plant at Delimara which currrently sources LNG from a tanker – will trig- ger a multi-million payout to the com- pany once the gas pipeline is complet- ed and connected to the power station, "rewarding the ultimate beneficial own- ers of the corrupt project – including Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of commissioning the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia." The NGOs said Electrogas is contrac- tually eligible for around €85 million in "compensation" when and if the pipe- line is commissioned. Corruption in the Electrogas project was a core part of Daphne Caruana Gal- izia's investigations, which, according to the findings of the public inquiry in- to her assassination, possibly motivat- ed her murder. "The European Union and Malta risk not only rewarding the alleged killer of Daphne Caruana Gali- zia but also her murder itself," Matthew Caruana Galizia, Daphne's son, said. The petition against the gas pipeline is signed by a 1,000 citizens and repre- sentatives of 14 NGOs, asking decision makers to ensure that no public money goes to this fossil fuel project. Climate campaign coordinator at Friends of the Earth Malta Dr Su- zanne Maas said: "The proposed Melita TransGas pipeline would lock Malta in- to a fossil fuel future and signify a cli- mate-incompatible investment, leading to stranded assets and wasting public money." Colin Roche, climate justice and ener- gy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe, added: "This project is one of the last vestiges of a fossil fuel age that Europe has not yet the courage to end but which the climate crisis urgently demands we do. It's time to finally pull the plug on new fossil fuel projects and concentrate our efforts on cheap relia- ble renewables. The European Parlia- ment should reject these fossil fuel pro- jects and demand a fossil free energy system instead." The Maltese gas pipeline was original- ly excluded from the Connecting Eu- rope Facility funding in both 2020 and 2021. But it was reinserted in a new list where it was rebranded as a 'hydrogen ready' pipeline, thanks to a derogation from the original rules as agreed by EU energy ministers. Instead the gas pipe- line will be built so as to also transport hydrogen, with the European Commis- sion agreeing to allow "blending pro- jects" during a transitional period that ends in 2029. But the European Council also de- clared that entities connected to fraud, corruption or conduct related to crimi- nal organisations will be excluded from such funding, a possible reference to the presence of Electrogas as owner of Malta's gas plant. In 2022, MEPs voted down an objec- tion filed by Green MEPs to exclude the pipeline from EU funds under the Con- necting Europe Facility (CEF). This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author's view. The action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament's grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action. A protest outside the Delimara gas plant. The NGOs say a gas pipeline will trigger an €85 million payout to the Electrogas consortium Over 1,000 call on MEPs to strike off Malta gas pipeline from EU funding THERE are currently 32 commerical agencies licensed to provide security services, information tabled in parlia- ment shows. The full list was made available after the PN's spokesperson for family and social security, Albert Buttigieg asked home affairs minister Byron Camilleri to list such companies. Security service providers have made headlines during the first days of 2024, following footage that showed a revel- ler being brutally beaten by a number of bouncers while he was on the ground. Since then, five bouncers have been charged, along with the alleged victim. MaltaToday had revealed that gover- ment has been in possession of draft leg- islation that could overhaul the security guard industry. Despite the legislation being drawn up more than six years ago, there seems to be no plans to table the bill in parliament. In 2019, MaltaToday had also revealed how the detailed Bill was presented to then home affairs minister Carmelo Ab- ela on the eve of the 2017 election. There was no time to action the proposal, but it remained shelved even after the election, with a spokesperson for the new home affairs minister Michael Farrugia then saying the Bill was being "redrafted". Earlier this month, a police spokes- person had told MaltaToday that 105 people in Malta have a Private Guard Li- cence for entertainment areas. This was the same figure provided by the police in 2019. The companies which are licensed to provide security services are: Safetrust Security, J.F Security and Consultancy Services Ltd, G4S Security Services (Mal- ta) Ltd, G4S Security Services Ltd, Secu- rity Services Malta Ltd, Oscar 7 Security, Khiron Security Ltd, Kerber Security Ltd, Global Security Services Ltd, Kaval- lieri Security Services Ltd, Executive Se- curity Services Ltd, Protection Services (Malta) Ltd, Security First services Ltd, OZO Security Services Company Ltd, Signal 8 Security Services Malta Ltd, S.O.S.Secutiy Ltd, I.Q.Security, Gold- guard Security services Ltd, Proforce 1 Security Malta Ltd, Total Management Solution Company Ltd, TacticalSecurity Pro. Ltd, Professional Security Servic- es Ltd, JK Security Ltd, CAMC Securi- ty Ltd, Crowd Safety Management Ltd, Blue Border Holdings Ltd, Kerber ES Limited ,La Vallette Outsource limited, R.Cauchi Ent Ltd Agency, Adler Securi- ty Services, Special Intervention Securi- ty, Malta Elite Services Limited. 32 companies registered to provide security services