Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/578491
4 TEODOR RELJIC DURING a wide-ranging parlia- mentary debate on the future of the artistic sector in Malta last Monday, Minister for Culture Owen Bonnici announced that artists may indirectly benefit from high-rise development. Speaking on Monday, Bonnici announced the approval by Cabi- net of a new fund that will invest in Maltese artists and that will be financed by money earned by MEPA through high-rise permit fees. The move elicited a mixed reac- tion from creative practitioners on social media yesterday, with some being cautiously optimis- tic – viewing the initiative as an additional, much-needed source of funds for artists – while oth- ers expressed concern about ap- propriating cultural work under the banner of high rise construc- tion. Speaking to MaltaToday, Bon- nici clarified that the fund is in line with a Budget commitment from last year. "Last year's Budget Speech proposed the creation of an ar- tistic fund in connection with developments falling within the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policy," Bonnici said, adding that with the creation of this fund, govern- ment is "implementing its com- mitments". Bonnici explained how the Floor Area Ratio – approved in May 2014 – will serve to deter- mine which developments will be high-rise buildings, and at the decision stage of the MEPA ap- plication, fees will be collected and transferred in favour of the Arts Council Malta. However, he did not answer why it was only high-rise buildings in particular – and not, for exam- ple, a more wide-ranging array of MEPA permits – that will be made use of to fuel the fund. "The Arts Council Malta will be responsible to administer such funds to further support the cultural sectors of the Maltese Islands," Bonnici said, adding that fees start from a minimum of €25,000 up to a maximum of €100,000 for permits issued un- der the FAR policy. He added that MEPA will be informing architects and the ap- plicants' agents on these changes through a circular to be issued to architects in the coming days. In comments to MaltaToday, a spokesperson for the Arts Coun- cil Malta said that the fund will aim to "bring in additional fund- ing streams for the cultural and creative sectors in Malta", while stressing that this proposed new fund doesn't reinvent the wheel since,"levies from development are already collected through the Urban Development Fund man- aged by MEPA, for instance". maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2015 News The Funds and Programmes Division (FPD) within the Parliamentary Secretariat for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds, Ministry for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto, is pleased to announce that the first call for project proposals under Interreg Mediterranean 2014- 2020 is now open. Project proposals shall focus on either of the following priorities: Priority Axis 1: Promoting Mediterranean innovation capacities to develop smart and sustainable growth; Priority Axis 2: Fostering low carbon strategies and energy efficiency in specific MED territories: cities, islands and remote areas; Priority Axis 3: Protecting and promoting Mediterranean natural and cultural resources areas. Public bodies and public equivalent bodies, private institutions, and/or international organisations acting under the national law of EU MED Member States, are eligible to participate. Registration and applications must be filled and validated online (https://synergie-cte.asp-public.fr/ ) by not later than 2 nd November 2015, 12:00 noon local time (GMT +1). Maltese applicants are also obliged to provide FPD with certified true copies of other required documentation until 23 rd November 2015. More information can be found on the website of Interreg Mediterranean 2014-2020: http://interreg- med.eu/en/first-call-for-project-proposals/. The FPD may also be contacted on 22001142 or fpd.meaim@gov.mt. Interreg Mediterranean – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 Programme part-financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-financing rate: 85% European Union; 15% National Funds CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS Citizenship department run by Labour mayor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The de- partment of citizenship and ex- patriate affairs – formerly within the ministry for foreign affairs – was run by Dr Mariella Grech as director and Mark Sultana as assistant director. The depart- ment is now run by a 'profession- al officer', Dr Charlene Zammit – the Labour Party's mayor for Mqabba. And falling under Identity Mal- ta as a manager for residence af- fairs, is Ryan Spagnol, formerly a student campaigner for social democrat university group Pulse. The government on Tuesday denied claims by the Opposition that three siblings of Vella Bon- nici – a former Labour Party can- didate – has also been employed at Identity Malta. He is under pressure over a police investigation into allega- tions that thousands of visas and residence permits were issued fraudulently from the agency. Three low-level employees have been questioned by the police so far, after a raid was conducted at Identity Malta offices at the Evans Building. The government claims the racket identified by police at Identity Malta – discovered fol- lowing police investigations to accountant Joe Sammut was charged with registering hun- dreds of false trading companies in order to obtain residency per- mits for Libyan nationals – has been ongoing since 2011. Since 2012, residence permits to Libyan nationals rose by over 440% in 2014, when 14,000 per- mits were issued. Ryan Spagnol Charlene Zammit Amanda Mifsud High-rise fuelled artistic fund sign of 'Budget commitment' Culture minister Owen Bonnici Armed forces help rescue 230 refugees THE Malta Armed Forces (AFM) have helped rescue 230 refugees from within Libya's search and rescue region. In a statement, the AFM said that its offshore patrol vessel, P61, was patrolling an area south of Malta as part of its commit- ment to Frontex's border securi- ty Operation Triton when it was called to transfer a group of 230 refugees from on board an Ital- ian nav y vessel. The AFM patrol vessel is cur- rently heading towards an Ital- ian harbour with all the refugees on board, who are all reported to be in good health.