What the Sunday papers say…

MaltaToday reports that Archbishop Paul Cremona’s decision to step down as the leader of the Maltese church came in 2012, when he “succumbed to exhaustion” shortly after the divorce referendum. In another story, the newspaper reveals that the illehal boathouses at St Thomas Bay will get an energy supply via a temporary electricity service by Enemalta.

The newspaper also reveals that the Nationalist government had offered representatives of the National Bank of Malta’s shareholders €25 million in compensation for the shares they signed over under duress to the Mintoff government in 1973. In exclusive comments to MaltaToday, former finance minister Tonio Fenech insisted that this was the PN government’s offer was however turned down. 

Sunday newspaper Illum says Archbishop Paul Cremona had been considering his resignation for two years, and that the news of Cremona’s resignation did not go down well with several priests and clerics who have since threatened to tender their own resignation.

Moreover, the newspaper reports that the problems within the Church had been ongoing for several months, and that it was at the first to newspaper to highlight these issues. It also states that several members of the clergy had voiced their concern at the “lack of leadership” within the church.

The Sunday Times of Malta quotes former Air Malta CEO Peter Davies in saying that the national airline was on track for recovery under his watch, and that as a result of its financial difficulties, it would now need a private cash injection to grow and expand.

The Malta Independent on Sunday says PN leader Simon Busuttil in saying that Joseph Muscat and Konrad Mizzi should resign in the wake of their admission that the Delimara gas power plant will not be completed within its deadline.

It-Torca says Archbishop Paul Cremona’s resignation had been hastened due to attacks against him.

PN newspaper il-mument says Mahdi al-Harati, the Mayor of Tripoli – who was in Malta for some weeks – is linked to Al-Qaeda terrorist 2004 attack in Madrid.  

Kullhadd leads that an 1838 law allows the prime minister to choose the new Archbishop if the position is left vacant for 15 days.