In the Press: Air Malta to ‘stand on its own feet’ by March

Stories from today’s national press

The Times of Malta

The national airline Air Malta will be able to stand on its own feet by March according to chairperson Maria Micallef. The airline had announced a €16.4 million loss in the financial year ending March 2015, and she added that the airline was expecting a loss of €4 million for this year. The company is under a five year restructuring plan started in 2011, and has until March 2016 to get back on its feet after the state injected it with some €130 million for this purpose.

L-Orizzont

The former chief of the Gozo civil protection department, Peter Mercieca was taken to court yesterday afternoon, on alleged abuse of his position. The story, published by the paper in February had shown that Mercieca was signing off work in his friend’s name, while the latter was on holiday in Australia.

In- Nazzjon

Ivan Zammit, a 49-year-old businessman from Sliema who has accused the Police of mistreating him,  will be opening a constitutional case in court today. Zammit has accused the police of breaching his fundamental rights and he will be defended by Etienne Calleja. Zammit was allegedly treated inhumanely and degraded when he was arrested on the 22nd September.

The Malta Independent

A 50-year-old Moroccan man who gave alcohol to a teenage Maltese boy before raping him at his residence in St. Paul’s Bay between 2004 and 2008, was imprisoned for 10 years. Hamid El Faiq, was found guilty of raping the boy over the stipulated four year period, when he was between the ages of 14 and 18. The man had also been jailed for another eight years, for raping another minor in 2010.