Month: September 2025

Unwavering trust in Malta with an investment that fosters quality careers in the fields of finance, technology, aviation and engineering

Prime Minister Robert Abela, accompanied by the Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects Silvio Schembri and the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett, inaugurated Ryanair’s new 700m² offices in Malta.

This latest investment represents another step in Ryanair’s long-standing commitment to Malta. These new offices will see 70 new high-quality jobs and bring the company’s Malta-based workforce to more than 500 highly skilled professionals across finance, safety, human resources, pilots, cabin crew, and engineering.

The Prime Minister remarked that Ryanair has become one of Malta’s key partners in the aviation sector. Adding that their new offices are “a symbol of confidence in Malta’s workforce, in our economy, and in our future.” 

Through Malta Air, Lauda, and its associated companies, Fravel and AFL, Ryanair has established Malta as a hub for operations, training, aircraft leasing, and maintenance. To date, the airline has eight aircrafts based locally and 190 aircraft registered on the Maltese registry. In addition, in 2022 Ryanair has also launched a €20 million aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) project, which project is expected to generate 250 highly skilled jobs and further consolidate Malta’s position as a centre not only for aviation traffic, but also for engineering and innovation.

He added that Ryanair’s expanding operations align with the Malta Vision 2050, which foresees aviation playing an increasingly central role in sustainable growth and development. Adding that for the government aviation is not only seen as a means of transport or an aircraft registry, but as a key economic sector that creates high-quality careers and opportunities. The Prime Minister stressed that Government will continue adopting a business-friendly approach while actively strengthening the aviation sector by investing in specialised facilities and services.

David O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Malta Air and Lauda Europe, noted that Ryanair’s new offices in Malta mark yet another milestone in the company’s long-term investment in the country. He added that “Ryanair intends to continue investing significantly across various aviation niches in Malta, further strengthening the country’s position as a centre of aviation excellence.”

Today, aviation contributes around €600 million annually to Malta’s economy, provides thousands of jobs, and facilitates the travel of millions of passengers.

Prime Minister Robert Abela congratulated Times of Malta for their long-standing journalistic service to our country, while addressing a Business Breakfast organised by the same organisation marking the 90th anniversary of their establishment.

During this event, the Prime Minister noted that today’s media landscape is shaped by challenges where facts are questioned, disinformation spreads rapidly, and journalism faces both economic and digital pressures. Yet, he underlined the fact that history shows that quality journalism remains crucial for democracy in the country.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s duty to ensure that journalism in Malta continues to thrive. He referred to the launch of the public consultation on media reform, which reform prioritises the protection of journalists, the strengthening of freedom of expression, and the safeguarding of professional integrity. Through this reform the government aims to reinforce a framework that protects both journalistic freedom as well as human dignity. He stated that the Government has no intention of reintroducing criminal libel, which was abolished under this administration. Instead, the discussion should remain within the civil legal sphere. Dr Abela emphasised that Malta’s civil law must continue to provide protection for journalists acting in good faith, while also ensuring effective procedural and compensatory remedies for those who fall victim to abuses of freedom of expression.

Prime Minister Robert Abela also referred to three key legislative proposals that were also introduced to ensure that freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution of Malta, to strengthen privacy rights and also to give journalists stronger safeguards against harassment and intimidation. Prime Minister Abela also noted that Malta was the first country in Europe to introduce the anti-SLAPP legislation, ensuring that vexatious lawsuits cannot be used to silence reporting in the public interest.

He also referred to the practical steps that were taken to improve journalists’ safety, including new protocols for the police and security services to respond quickly and effectively to threats. He mentioned that the Government has also recognised the financial pressures newsrooms are facing, providing support during times of crisis, whether by mitigating the effects of the pandemic or by assisting printed newspapers hit by rising paper costs.

As Times of Malta celebrated its remarkable journey, Prime Minister Abela called for a collective and sustained commitment by government, media, and citizens to ensure that journalism in Malta continues to remain vibrant.

National Expo centre will cement Malta’s future attractiveness for more quality events

Prime Minister Robert Abela today visited and toured the SiGMA-EuroMed expo, held this year at the Malta Maritime Hub. The Prime Minister was welcomed by SIGMA founder Eman Pulis and toured through the exhibition halls, meeting participants and viewing the latest innovations in the gaming and technology sectors.

Once again, Malta is hosting one of SiGMA’s flagship expos. This edition has attracted over 400 sponsors and exhibitors, and around 12,000 delegates, including more than 400 expert speakers from across the globe.

SiGMA began as a start-up with humble beginnings, yet today, it is a global enterprise, a household name in gaming and technology, and one of Malta’s business success stories. Its Maltese offices employ over one hundred creative professionals. 

The Government is committed to ensuring Malta remains the home of major international events such as SiGMA while attracting a new range of quality events via a new state of the art purposely built Expo Centre. This project will be a national investment in Malta’s future economy. A facility designed to meet the needs of global summits like SiGMA and built to showcase Malta as a centre of excellence. The initiative is listed as one of the actions resulting from Malta Vision 2050.

Prime Minister Robert Abela was accompanied by Minister for the Economy and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri.

Fl-isfond ta’ dak imħabbar mill-Gvern il-ġimgħa li għaddiet favur sigurtà msaħħa fit-toroq, il-Gvern u l-organizzazzjoni Doctors for Road Safety kellhom diskussjoni favur aktar kollaborazzjoni bejniethom biex javvanzaw il-ħidma biex din ir-riforma titwettaq b’suċċess u l-għanijiet komuni jintlaħqu. Bil-membri tal-organizzazzjoni laqgħu b’mod pożittiv il-ħsieb u d-direzzjoni li qed jagħti l-Gvern bl-abbozz ta’ liġi.

Doctors for Road Safety hija għaqda nongovernattiva mwaqqfa minn tobba u studenti tal-mediċina li jaħdmu favur l-ogħla standards ta’ sigurtà fit-toroq f’Malta u Għawdex.

Il-ġimgħa li għaddiet il-Gvern ħabbar 5 miżuri ta’ deterrent għal aktar sigurtà fit-toroq tagħna. Dawn jinkludu:

1.       Testijiet tad-droga mill-Pulizija fit-triq – simili għall-mod li llum isiru t-testijiet tal-alkoħol. 

2.       Random Roadside Testing, fejn testijiet fuq id-droga jew l-alkoħol isiru anke mingħajr suspett raġonevoli. 

3.       Sentenza ta’ priġunerija effettiva għal min jinstab ħati li qatel persuna, anke b’mod involontarju, taħt l-effett tal-alkoħol jew tad-droga.

4.       Jissaħħu l-pieni għal min jagħżel li jsuq xurban jew taħt l-effett tad-droga, b’multi eħrex għad-dispożizzjoni tal-Qorti.

5.       Poter lill-Prosekuzzjoni sabiex titlob li l-liċenzja tas-sewqan tkun sospiża meta l-proċeduri jkunu pendenti, fejn imbagħad tkun il-Qorti li tiddeċiedi din it-talba. 

Id-delegazzjoni tal-Gvern kienet immexxija mill-Prim Ministru Robert Abela li kien akkumpanjat mill-Ministri Byron Camilleri u Chris Bonett, kif ukoll il-Kap tas-Segretarjat tal-Prim Ministru l-Kurunell Mark Mallia u magħhom il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija Angelo Gafà u l-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Transport Malta Kurt Farrugia.