Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545300
2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 JUNE 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Malta shows significantly high- er awareness of the Natura 2000 network than the general Eu- ropean population, with 32% of respondents saying they know what it is—nearly double the EU average of 17%. This suggests that while general scientific ter- minology may be less familiar, Maltese respondents are more aware of specific conservation frameworks. Beyond land use, Malta records some of the highest levels of con- cern in the EU across several en- vironmental categories. It ranks first for concern about pollution of air, soil, and water, with 77% describing it as a "very much" sig- nificant threat, well above the EU average of 58%. It is also the only Member State where a majority (54%) sees non-native species as a major threat to biodiversity. The island also ranks second in the EU for concern about in- frastructure impacts on natural areas (62%) and the effects of cli- mate change (69%). Malta ranks second in the EU for the share of respondents who "totally agree" that their health and wellbeing depend on nature (79%), while 82% say protecting nature is essential for tackling climate change. These attitudes translate into strong expectations for protect- ed areas. Malta ranks first in the EU for the importance given to their role in preventing habitat destruction (83%), promoting sustainable land use (79%), and improving quality of life (76%). On policy priorities, Malta dif- fers from the EU average by fa- vouring better enforcement of existing nature laws (46%) over new measures. Locally, respond- ents prioritise better information and greater community involve- ment in decision-making (both 43%), suggesting a preference for governance-focused solutions. Methodology The survey in Malta was con- ducted between 5 and 24 Feb- ruary 2026. A total of 518 inter- views were carried out among Maltese citizens aged 15 and over. The methodology included 354 computer-assisted personal in- terviews (CAPI) and 164 com- puter-assisted video interviews (CAVI). Results were weighted to accurately reflect the demo- graphic profile of the national population. Malta shows higher awareness of the Natura 2000 network than the general European population The Ghadira Nature Reserve, within the EU Natura 2000 network (File photo) Police sergeant gets jail time after being found guilty over Marsa flyovers extra-duty fraud FORMER traffic police sergeant Norman Xuereb was jailed for five years and ordered to pay €53,000 after being found guilty over a fraud linked to extra-duty payments for the Marsa flyovers project. The fraud centred on officers being listed and paid as though they had performed extra duty at Marsa, when they were often not actually there, or when the work was being covered during normal duty hours instead. The investigation began after anonymous information reached the police in 2019 about alleged abuses in the Traffic Section's ex- tra-duty system. It was later found that between February 2018 and December 2019, Transport Malta and Infrastructure Malta paid the Police Commissioner €534,014.19 for traffic-management services, while Xuereb himself received €53,000 for extra duty linked to the Marsa flyovers project. During the Marsa flyovers pro- ject, Transport Malta, and later Infrastructure Malta, required police officers to control traffic around the works. The Police Corps provided officers through its "extra duty" system, under which off-duty officers could work additional hours and receive extra payment. Xuereb was a police sergeant in the Traffic Section and, dur- ing the relevant period, acted as the liaison officer between the Police Corps, Transport Malta and Infrastructure Malta on traf- fic-management duties linked to the Marsa project. He coordinat- ed the extra-duty work and pre- pared the invoices for payment. As evidence, the prosecution used mobile phone location da- ta, duty sheets, invoices prepared and signed by Xuereb, testimony from police investigators and In- frastructure Malta officials, and datatrack data from police mo- torcycles. The court heard that Xuereb's police motorcycle was one of the few traffic section motorcycles whose datatrack was functioning properly. The court also noted that, in a statement, Xuereb him- self said he routinely checked that the datatrack on his motorcycle worked. The prosecution also made ref- erence to Xuereb's own police statements, where he admitted several times that the Marsa ex- tra duty was not actually being worked in practice. In his police statement, Xuereb admitted the Marsa extra duty was not being worked in practice and, when asked whether he was prepared to refund the money he had re- ceived, replied that the money was "not his" and that it had been a mistake. Xuereb also claimed that he had an arrangement with Infrastruc- ture Malta CEO Frederick Azzo- pardi that it did not matter where he was during extra-duty hours as long as he answered the phone and responded when needed. Azzopardi denied the claims in ourt, explaining that while Xuereb had given him his per- sonal mobile number in case he could not be reached on his work phone, there was no agreement that officers could skip on-site work and still be paid. He also maintained Infrastructure Malta was not aware of the fraud since it generally relied on police rec- ommendations about how many officers were needed. The defence attacked the ad- missibility of parts of the pros- ecution's evidence, arguing the data track evidence was fallible, and that there were chain-of-cus- tody issues with mobile phone evidence and WhatsApp chats. The court did not accept the de- fence's arguments, highlighting the weight of the combination of the duty sheets, datatrack, mobile data, invoices, witness testimony and Xuereb's own statements. Instead, it found that Xuereb had created an "artifice" to hide the truth that neither he nor his colleagues were actually carrying out the Marsa extra duty as list- ed. The court said the deception allowed Infrastructure Malta to keep paying invoices prepared and signed by Xuereb, so that he and others would continue re- ceiving payment for work they were not actually doing. Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia found the former police officer to be guilty of fraud, false decla- rations, and committing offences which, as a police officer, he had a duty to prevent. Magistrate Farrugia sentenced Xuereb to five years in prison and imposed a permanent disqualifi- cation from holding public office or public employment. He was also ordered to pay €767.26 in ex- pert costs, while the court decreed the confiscation of €53,000 and ordered him to pay an additional €53,000 to the Police Corps, rep- resenting the illegal gain made at the Corps' expense. The prosecution was led by Su- perintendent Rennie Stivala and Inspector Bernard Bunce. EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt Police motorcycle (File photo: MaltaToday)