Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/785757
Newspaper post PHOTO OMAR CAMILLERI/DOI YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT €1.40 MARLENE IN THE MIDDLE You told us about your worst date ever! RADISSON WINNER PAGE 10 We cannot win bird trapping case, AG warned government A MaltaToday survey shows that 41% of the Maltese think that there is "a lot of cor- ruption" under the present government. A further 12% think that there is "quite some corruption", adding up to 53% who think that under the present government there is a considerable amount of corruption. Only 12% think that there is no corrup- tion under this government while 29% think that there is a "little" corruption. Moreover while only 24% think that cor- ruption has lessened since the 2013 general election, 40% think that there is more cor- ruption. 19% think that there is the same amount of corruption as before 2013. The survey also shows that an absolute majority think that there is corruption in the Planning Authority (56%) and in the award of government contracts (51%) but are less likely to think that there is corrup- tion in the police force (38%) and the judi- ciary (35%). Since her divorce from Labour, has the PD leader broken new ground? 14 15 SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN MUSCAT'S MALTA MaltaToday's survey confi rms a widespread perception of corruption An Australian inquiry comes to an end, revealing the horrors Maltese child migrants endured in the care of 'men of God' SURVEY PAGES 12-13 4 5 JAMES DEBONO NOW 53% THINK THAT CORRUPTION IN MALTA IS RIFE But among 'switchers' and the higher-educated, few trust either Muscat or Simon Busuttil to be able to address the problem In 2013, Labour was voted in on an anti-corruption ticket has the PD leader broken new ground? 14 15 14 15 inquiry comes to an end, revealing the horrors Maltese child migrants endured in the care of 'men of God' JURGEN BALZAN The government proceeded with opening the trapping season in 2014 despite a clear warning by the Attorney General's office that Malta stood no chance of successfully defending its case in court and should not apply the derogation. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will tomorrow hold the hearing on finch trap- ping in Malta, a practice that was banned following Malta's accession to the EU but re- introduced by the Labour government three years ago. But the government was warned that the ECJ would not uphold the derogation be- cause finches are a protected species, trap- ping by clap-nets is specifically prohibited by the Birds' Directive and arguing that trapping has a socio-cultural and traditional purpose was not a legitimate defence. Sources within the AG's office told Malta- Today that the government was warned that the derogation ran counter to the spirit and purpose of the Birds Directive and that in the event of infringement proceedings Mal- ta's legal arguments were "inherently weak." The European Commission officially re- ferred Malta to the EU courts in September 2015, after the government ignored its formal warn- ings. 2015, after the government PAGE 6 YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT maltatoday today today SUNDAY • 12 FEBRUARY 2017 • ISSUE 901 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY