Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532977
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 5 MARCH 2025 • ISSUE 930 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY European Commission President announces €800 billion defence plan Ursula von der Leyen unveils €800 billion plan to significantly increase defence spending across the EU PAGE 2 MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt Keith Schembri told Yorgen Fenech that 'Il-Kohhu' was talking to police, court hears KEITH Schembri had informed Yorgen Fenech that one of the men found guilty of assassinating Daphne Caruana Gali- zia was talking to police in the hopes of securing a presidential pardon, a court heard on Tuesday. Fenech is out on bail facing charges connected to the Caruana Galizia assas- sination. On Tuesday, the compilation of evi- dence of the case brought against Keith Schembri resumed before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit. Inspector Shaun Paul Friggieri testi- fied that a forensic analysis of Yorgen Fenech's mobile phone led police to un- cover communication between Schembri and Fenech. PAGE 3 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 22 JANUARY 2025 • ISSUE 924 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY Variable interest rate of 2.80% * Low contribution Low collateral requirements *Business Lending Bank Base Rate presently at 2.15%, Interest Margin and EIF Guarantee Fee. The BOV SME Grow and the BOV SME Grow Green are funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund with the financial backing of the Republic of Malta under the InvestEU Member State Compartment for Malta. All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, il-Belt Valletta, VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licenced to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the laws of Malta). Grow green BOV SME Supporting Your Vision CONTACT US JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Staircase, ramp and bathing platform in latest Vecca plans Veċċa project aimed at protecting cave and overlying road from collapse PAGE 5 Court rules that law allowing conversion of court expenses into jail, breaches human rights THE Constitutional Court has ruled that a legal provision giving the Court Reg- istrar unfettered discretion to convert court expenses into jail term breaches human rights. The landmark judgment was deliv- ered by Mr Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey in a case instituted by a prison inmate, who is serving a four-year jail term. Fernando Gonzalo-Noel Sanchez had filed proceedings in front of the First Hall of the Civil Court in its con- stitutional jurisdiction in 2023, chal- lenging the legal provision that allows unpaid court expenses to be translated into jail time. Sanchez had been sentenced to four years in prison in October 2022 after admitting to injuring several people and resisting arrest when under the influence of drugs. He had also been ordered to pay court expenses, which totalled €23,000 according to a bill drawn up by the Court Registrar. PAGE 5 A bathing platform, a staircase, and a ramp have been added to plans for the shoring up of the cliff-face at Għar Tal-Veċċa in St Paul's Bay. The project includes a revetment composed of boulders to protect the friable cliff-face from further coastal erosion and prevent the col- lapse of Triq Stella Maris. Ursula von der Leyen A four-storey elderly care home is planned on ODZ land along Triq iz-Zejtun, Marsaxlokk, incorporating the historic Villa Sans Souci – reputedly Malta's most haunted house (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday) Police describe regular communication between the OPM chief of staff and the person accused of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia EUROPEAN Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday unveiled an €800 billion plan to significantly increase defence spending across the European Union. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt PAGE 5