Mark Mallia, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, and Kurt Farrugia, CEO of Transport Malta and a key member of Labour’s electoral team, have shifted their offices to the Labour Party headquarters in Hamrun, signalling that general elections may be just weeks away. While Prime Minister Robert Abela continues to insist, at least publicly, that … Continued

A magisterial inquiry into serious claims of a criminal nature linked to a director of a non-governmental organisation providing public-sponsored services to children with autism has been concluded and forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General with a recommendation for court action, The Shift is informed. The inquiry, conducted by Magistrate Philip Galea Farrugia, … Continued

Parliament postponed a decision on a resolution to transfer public industrial land, including part of the sea at the Malta Freeport, to tuna ranchers Malta Fish Farming Ltd (MFF), a company currently subject to a court-ordered asset freeze. The resolution was placed on the agenda of the National Audit Office Accounts Committee for discussion and … Continued

The government has offered MIDI plc a €50 million compensation package in exchange for relinquishing its concession over Manoel Island, sources familiar with the negotiations told The Shift. The proposed settlement would effectively see taxpayers compensate the private consortium behind the long-delayed and unfinished project, allowing the island to revert to public control. According to … Continued

Chamber of SMEs official Philip Fenech has been told he must choose between contesting the next general elections on behalf of the Labour Party or continuing in his role as deputy president of the Chamber (known as the GRTU), The Shift can confirm. Chamber officials told The Shift that following persistent rumours that Fenech was … Continued

One of the canvassers of disgraced former social accommodation minister Roderick Galdes simultaneously serves as a director on the Housing Authority’s Board as well as a Board member on the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal’s appeals Board (EPRT), The Shift has learned. Lawyer Alicia Borg’s two roles effectively mean that a canvasser who was close … Continued

A call for an investigation into Transport Minister Chris Bonett over allegations that he may have misused his ministerial authority in relation to a restriction affecting ride-hailing drivers operating near Malta International Airport was submitted to the Standards Commissioner by the Deputy Chairperson of ADPD, Carmel Cacopardo. The formal request follows a report published by … Continued

Labour Party veteran and former trade unionist Sammy Meilaq branded PL MEP Daniel Attard “a liar” over his comments on the United States’ war on Iran during a protest held in front of the US Embassy on Saturday. In a comment shared with the BBC and reported by the Times, Attard had argued that the … Continued

Residents who have complained for several years about their suffering from noise pollution from UNO club in Ta’ Qali have once again taken to social media after Parliament Members steamrolled over their long-standing objections. On Monday, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici justified the extension of public land granted to UNO club, of which Zammit Tabona is … Continued

A new list of direct orders issued by Infrastructure Malta and published in the Government Gazette has raised fresh questions about the agency’s procurement practices, with figures suggesting that a procedure intended for emergencies is increasingly being used for routine expenditure. Among the most notable entries are €12,000 in direct orders for two commemorative plaques … Continued

Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index has again ranked Malta among the most corrupt Western European countries. Only Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovakia and Hungary fare worse. Malta scored just 49 out of a potential maximum of 100 points – that’s a fail. Yet judging by the number of cases that Malta’s Permanent Commission Against Corruption (PCAC)  … Continued

Malta’s long-delayed waste-to-energy plant at Magħtab will not begin construction this year after the government confirmed that no funds have been allocated for the project in the 2026 budget, raising fresh doubts about the future of the €600 million facility first promised nearly a decade ago. Energy Minister Miriam Dalli told Parliament that the absence … Continued

Following rare cross-party agreement about the need for an anti-deadlock mechanism that would prevent a stalemate over the contested nomination for Chief Justice, three NGOs have expressed concern about the government’s rush to push through such a legal amendment later today in Parliament. In a brief statement published on Monday, aditus Foundation, the Daphne Caruana … Continued

Archbishop Charles Scicluna visited St Peter’s Monastery in Mdina in July 2024 and toured the museum, now said by the Curia to be “irregular”, set up within the historic complex, The Shift has confirmed. The Archbishop’s visit has raised fresh questions within Church circles about the timeline that led to the Vatican’s recent decision to … Continued

MIDI plc has signed yet another promise-of-sale agreement, divesting additional assets as it races to secure funds to repay a €50 million bond maturing in July. In a company announcement, MIDI confirmed that it has agreed to sell the still-unfinished T15 building at Tigné Point – the last remaining block in the original Tigné master … Continued

William Lewis, the organising secretary of the governing Labour Party, has been engaged as one of the main logistics coordinators of the multi-million euro election propaganda cube project being inaugurated in Valletta by Prime Minister Robert Abela during an extravagant event paid for by taxpayers. The Shift is informed that Lewis, who is responsible for … Continued

Fort Chambray’s British Barracks in Gozo have been officially listed among Europe’s seven most endangered heritage sites for 2026 by Europa Nostra, placing Malta’s long-running Fort Chambray saga under renewed scrutiny. The decision follows a nomination by Din l-Art Ħelwa, which has spent years challenging the planned partial demolition of the 19th-century barracks embedded within the … Continued

A sitting judge openly accused the Prime Minister of putting “great pressure” on court employees and “threatening the employee” at the Judge’s office, he would “have her fired” simply because he wanted to make even more money than he was already making. Judge Lawrence Mintoff declared, under oath, that “for Dr Abela, money was more … Continued

On Tuesday morning, when I saw The Times’ front page story,  I stubbornly clung to a fleeting hope that the headline Judge (and former Labour MP) Wenzu Mintoff had written to Cabinet lobbying in favour of his appointment to Chief Justice was some sort of elaborate hack. A spoof. Or maybe a dastardly deed perpetrated … Continued

A letter sent by sitting Judge and former Labour MP Wenzu Mintoff to Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol — and copied to all Cabinet members — has triggered what legal sources describe as one of the most serious confrontations between the judiciary and the executive in recent years. The letter was partially leaked and published by … Continued

Despite a shared total of five dedicated communications coordinators between the Office of the Prime Minister and the Education Ministry, the government remains conspicuously silent about the glaring failures of the American University of Malta (AUM), preferring instead to wholeheartedly endorse a university whose students describe it as “a ghost town”. The AUM, which is … Continued

A Dutch aviation company operating from a government-funded hangar at Safi Aviation Park has been ordered by the court to vacate the premises within 15 days after failing to pay rent for the past two years. In a ruling delivered by Magistrate Claudio Zammit, the court upheld a request filed by INDIS Malta, the government … Continued

The Government’s Planning Authority postponed a decision on a controversial apartment development planned just metres from the Ġgantija Temples in Xagħra after NGOs argued that their technical objections to a heritage assessment had been ignored. Planning Board chairperson Emmanuel Camilleri adjourned the application for six weeks following a heated exchange during the board meeting, giving … Continued

The long-promised Sustainable Living Complex at the University of Malta remains unfinished after years of delays, with the latest completion target now set for June 2026. The €46 million major research facility, intended to become a flagship centre for sustainable construction and interdisciplinary research, has been under development since construction works began in 2019. Originally … Continued

An illegal dumping site in Ta’ Qali, used to deposit construction waste for the past decade, continues to expand, despite the Planning Authority’s (PA) multiple direct enforcement actions and tens of thousands of euro in unpaid fines. The 13,000sqm site, which used to be an agricultural field in Vjal l-Istadium Nazzjonali, continues to serve as … Continued

The Planning Authority is expected to reissue a controversial permit, revoked just two years ago, that allows the construction of around 22 flats and 20 garages just metres away from the iconic Ġgantija Temples in Xagħra, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The development follows the completion of a Heritage Impact Assessment, after which the Superintendence … Continued

What was presented as a sweeping tax break for pensioners risks proving, on closer inspection, a far narrower measure that benefits very few ordinary retirees while allowing the government to claim a generosity the law itself does not deliver. In the Budget Speech on 27 October, the finance minister declared: “Pensioners will not pay tax … Continued

Joyce Cassar is the Permanent Secretary at The Office of the Prime Minister’s People and Standards Division. A damning Standards Commissioner report revealed how Cassar broke the rules to give Michelle Muscat’s NGOs preferential treatment at the cost of the taxpayer. Cassar attempted to mislead the Commissioner by withholding information and giving false information to … Continued

The recent debate between Labour MP Ramona Attard and PN MP Darren Carabott produced a constitutional puzzle worth pausing over. Attard insisted that Parliament should have the final say in key institutional decisions – a statement delivered with the certainty of the guy with the beard descending from Mount Sinai with those prototype iPads. It … Continued

The Court ruled that former Vitals Global Healthcare and Steward Malta CEO Armin Ernst should face trial before the Criminal Court over his alleged role in the controversial concession of three public hospitals. In a decree delivered by Magistrate Lara Lanfranco, the court found that prosecutors had presented sufficient prima facie evidence for Ernst to … Continued

After years of controversy, Gozitan developers Mark Agius, known as ta’ Dirjanu, and Joseph Portelli are once again on the verge of receiving the Planning Authority’s (PA) approval to redevelop the Ta’ Muxi ruins in Qala’s pristine Outside Development Zone (ODZ). The site, a derelict rural structure, had previously been at the centre of a … Continued

After tensions between the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party over the appointment of Malta’s next Chief Justice spilled into public view last month, Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Alex Borg are keeping their cards close to their chest about how they intend to break the deadlock. During Monday’s plenary session in Parliament, … Continued

Malita’s Chief Operations Officer, Amanda Desira, has resigned, marking the latest high-level departure in what sources describe as a sweeping clear-out at the troubled publicly-listed company. In a brief company announcement, Malita Investments plc confirmed Desira’s resignation but did not explain her sudden exit. The Shift is informed that Desira, who for a period also … Continued

The long-simmering confrontation between Iran and Israel has once again exposed the fragility of the Middle East’s strategic balance. What has for years been a shadow conflict, waged through cyber operations, covert strikes and proxy militias, now risks hardening into something more direct and far more dangerous. At the centre of Israel’s posture stands Prime … Continued

Following the arraignment of suspected money launderer and car thief Adrian Muscat earlier this month, State prosecutors confirmed that Ibrahim Halim, one of three victims whose car was “towed” by Muscat, was later found dead in the parking area of a nearby supermarket. Last week, The Shift reported that Muscat, who stands accused of money … Continued

Malta’s ‘free’ public transport system cost taxpayers almost €100 million in 2025, according to figures tabled in Parliament, the highest annual subsidy yet for the service operated by Malta Public Transport. Replying to parliamentary questions by PN MP Chris Said, Transport Minister Chris Bonett confirmed that government payments this year reached close to the €100 … Continued

Prime Minister Robert Abela allegedly pressured court employees in 2018 to calculate legal fees in a way that would have increased his payment from less than €500 to more than €24,000 in cases linked to the 2015 Paqpaqli tragedy, according to claims made by Judge Wenzu Mintoff and independent calculations made by The Shift, according … Continued

On Monday, a French court handed three men from Gozo suspended prison sentences and banned them from entering France for five years. They were arrested last month in the Savoie region in connection with what prosecutors described as a large-scale nitrous oxide distribution operation forming part of an organised illicit resale network targeting ski resorts. … Continued

After spending the past 11 years in court seeking justice for the involuntary homicide of their son, 17-year-old Matthew Bartolo, his family members’ hopes for justice were yet again left hanging during the latest hearing in the criminal case against Matthew’s former employers. In October last year, Magistrate Clare Stafrace Zammit issued a scathing judgment about … Continued

Developers seeking to transform an 18th-century palazzo in Żebbuġ into a hotel are expected to receive a final green light this week, after the Planning Authority’s (PA) directorate recommended the project for full development approval. The controversial project will see the historic Palazzo Buleben, also known locally as il-Palazz tal-Baruni, converted into a 32-room hotel. … Continued

In yet another endorsement of an operator known to have broken the rules, Prime Minister Robert Abela saw fit to visit the premises of the Obstacle Course Academy earlier this week, a sports facility illegally set up in ODZ land in Mrieħel. The illegal development is located in Triq il-Ħofor, and is nestled between multiple … Continued

In 2022, Robert Abela stood on the steps of Castille with the political equivalent of a towering bastion behind him. Forty thousand plus votes, a majority so large it looked less like a democratic outcome and more like a geological feature. Never mind that Joseph Muscat had done it before him, Abela was grinning like … Continued

The government has suffered a major setback over the lucrative Evans Building concession in Valletta after the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) ruled that the award of the project to a consortium involving the Decesare family and hotelier Mark Weingard was “vitiated” and must be cancelled. In a landmark decision following an appeal that lasted … Continued

Newly released documentation has raised serious concerns about how the Montenegrin government handled the Možura wind farm concession and the subsequent transfer of the project to Malta’s state energy company Enemalta. The revelations point to potential conflicts of interest and revive long-standing allegations of corruption surrounding the international deal, which has already been the subject … Continued

Gżira United FC’s President, Sharlon Pace, whose club is currently in the spotlight due to its decision to develop illegal padel courts in Manoel Island, refused to explain his involvement in IK Padel Ltd, a company which built over 20 padel pitches since 2019. When reached for comment, Pace confirmed that he is “involved” with … Continued

The Planning Authority has once again approved the redevelopment of the Ta’ Muxi ruins on the outskirts of Qala, granting Gozitan developers Mark Agius, known as Ta’ Dirjanu, and Joseph Portelli permission to turn the dilapidated structure into a large agricultural store. The decision was taken despite strong objections from the Environment and Resources Authority … Continued

Transport Minister Chris Bonett is facing accusations of misusing ministerial authority after a restriction affecting ride-hailing drivers was announced through a political letter to residents in his own electoral district rather than through official government or regulatory channels. The letter states that geo-fencing measures have been introduced with immediate effect, preventing Y-plate vehicles located in … Continued

After over a decade of promises of an elite university campus in the heart of Cottonera, the American University of Malta (AUM) is struggling to repay creditors as a result of dwindling student population numbers and the university’s overall mismanagement, The Shift can reveal. Internal AUM correspondence seen by The Shift shows that, as recently … Continued

Not all law students at the University of Malta appear to be treated equally. While most struggle to find time outside the demands of their five-year course, some manage to combine their studies with a full-time government job while attending lectures at Msida. Unlike most students who endure years of study on a modest stipend, … Continued

Five years after the National Audit Office (NAO) first warned that Transport Malta lacked proper oversight of Malta’s public transport concession, the regulator is still failing to effectively monitor the contract, despite the cost to taxpayers continuing to surge. A follow-up audit has found that key recommendations intended to strengthen scrutiny of the original €430 … Continued

After years of delays, broken promises and bureaucratic limbo, the government has finally announced that it will sign a Guardianship Deed entrusting the historic Il-Qolla l-Bajda (Qbajjar) Battery in Gozo to heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa. The decision brings to an end a saga that has dragged on for nearly two decades and left one … Continued

Government consultant Reno Bugeja has been appointed to the editorial board of Malta’s state broadcaster, despite being on a full-time €70,000-a-year consultancy contract at the Office of the Prime Minister. According to the Government Gazette, Bugeja, 70, was appointed to replace former PN candidate and lawyer Martin Fenech, who passed away earlier this year. His … Continued

To be fair, and God knows I’m trying, I know nothing about the ceremony that created the hullabaloo that accompanied the launch of Vision 2050, except what I read in the media. I do know that it turned the approach to Valletta from the bus terminus into a flipping obstacle course and gave lucrative contracts … Continued

“Do you communicate with judges via WhatsApp?” Prime Minister Robert Abela was asked by journalists after the damning revelations by sitting judge Lawrence Mintoff. Squirming uncomfortably, Abela dodged the question: “I am surprised that this question was not put to Joe Giglio.” Perhaps that’s because no sitting judge released a sworn statement declaring that Giglio … Continued

As the gap the PN is trying to bridge, and assorted pundits are busy minimising, tightens ever so slightly, we are treated to a different kind of narrowing. The one between archaeological sensitivity and private comfort. Because nothing says educational leadership quite like a €1.2 million villa in Rabat that apparently needs to be demolished … Continued

Where better to launch a 21st-century branding extravaganza than in front of 5,000-year-old stones that have witnessed the rise and fall of entire civilisations, and now, apparently, the unveiling of a logo? There stood Robert Abela, framed by the solemn magnificence of Ħaġar Qim, delivering a TED-Talk-meets-tourism-advertisement about “people, ideas and ambitions” growing and succeeding. … Continued

The owners of Palazzo Buleben have been quietly negotiating the possible sale of the 18th-century property in Żebbuġ to the government, even as they push ahead with a controversial application to turn the historic residence into a boutique hotel, The Shift is informed. The revelation raises fresh questions about the true intent behind the pending … Continued

Prime Minister Robert Abela has forcefully denied accusations that he encroached on the independence of the courts, insisting with journalists outside parliament on Tuesday evening that any concerns raised by Judge Lawrence Mintoff will be addressed through the institutional mechanisms established to safeguard judicial standards. The dispute erupted after Mintoff sent a strongly worded letter … Continued

In the latest twist in the public showdown between sitting Judge Wenzu Mintoff and Prime Minister Robert Abela, Nationalist Party Leader Alex Borg held a live press conference to demand an “immediate” response to Mintoff’s accusations that Abela had directly interfered in his work as a member of the judiciary and that the Prime Minister … Continued

The government’s so-called “Vision 2050” cube, erected at the entrance to Valletta, has triggered widespread public backlash, with critics denouncing it as an extravagant propaganda stunt funded by taxpayers. The structure, set to be officially inaugurated later this week by Prime Minister Robert Abela in what sources describe as an expensive “spectacle” followed by an … Continued