Maltese Cake Art welcomes Austrian airline NIKI on it's first arrival at Malta International Airport

March 30, 2014, Malta International Airport welcomed airberlin's partner airlines and Austria based NIKI on its first arrival in Malta. Tradition has the salute of the taxiing airplane with a water arch from the fire brigade, passengers being welcomed by ladies dressed in traditional clothes giving flowers while accompanied by a Maltese accordion player, and of course the cake cutting with members of the crew, all documented by the press (see below). And here's the cake:

Beitrag von Malta International Airport.

How is Malta doing? Measuring quality of life in the EU

Maltese quality of life ranked at 7.2 according to GDP indicators

MaltaToday 21/03/2014: What is quality of life and how can its different aspects be measured appropriately? A new online publication on Quality of life indicators released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union on the occasion of the International Day of Happiness established by the United Nations measures complement the one indicator, GDP, traditionally used for measuring economic, and often social, development.

The top ranked country in Europe is Denmark which consistently tops polls of countries with the best quality of life. Its ranking is 8.4. Other countries which score highly on the overall experience of life are Sweden (8.0), Finland (8.0) Luxembourg (7.8), Malta (7.7) and Netherlands (7.7). Two examples from health and education, which are important determinants of...read on.

19 Surprising Facts About Malta

The Huffington Post 18/03/2014: Fun fact: There are over 200 islands in the Mediterranean, but a whopping 90% of tourists stay on just 10% of them. File Malta into the "lesser-known" category, at least as far as Americans are concerned.

Malta sits south of Sicily and northeast of Tunisia. It has a craggy coast, beaches, lots of history and is one of Europe's smallest countries. Interest piqued? Read on.

Surfing in Malta: the beauty of the unexpected

In one of the smallest nations in the world, you'll find uncrowded line-ups and perfect waves under sunny blue skies. Welcome to the Mediterranean swells of Malta.

SurferToday.com  17/03/2014: La Valletta is the capital of Malta. It is also the smallest capital of the European Union. In this sunny state, there are two official languages: Maltese and English.

But if you ask a local citizen for the nearest surf spots, he might tell you that surfers are only spotted once in a while, despite the multiple reef and beach breaks that can be found throughout the country.

Malta is an archipelago of coralline limestone located in the central Mediterranean, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the Italian island of Sicily.

With 196.8 kilometers (121) of coastline - excluding the 56 kilometers of the Gozo island - Malta offers a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers...read on.

UAE and Malta commit to enhancing bilateral economic cooperation

HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, reaffirmed the importance of the economic relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Malta during the visit of Dr Christian Cardona, Malta’s Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Business to the UAE.

CPI Financial 18/03/2014:  HE Al Mansouri received the visiting delegation at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. During the meeting, the two sides expressed interest in collaborating in the small and medium enterprises and the renewable energy sectors to provide further impetus to bilateral economic development.

Commending the synergy achieved to date, HE Al Mansouri pointed out that the openness and flexibility of the two economies make them attractive foreign investment destinations. HE Al Mansouri reiterated the importance of allocating joint economic work teams and the establishment of joint ventures according to a time-bound framework for promoting bilateral investments. Drawing parallels to the growth of the tourism and economic sectors in Malta and the UAE, HE added that the...read on.

Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014: Firelight

Malta to attract tourists by targeting niche tourism

Global Times 16/03/2014: Malta is now going to use niche market as an attraction for visitors to this archipelago, Karmenu Vella, Maltese Tourism Minister has revealed, local media said Saturday.

He said on Friday that attracting tourists during the winter months will provide much more work for the tourism industry, also including the fashion and religion market, as a matter of fact that a large part of Malta's economic growth was dependent on the tourism sector with 20,000 personnel currently employed in tourism-related work.

"We are making a big effort to increase our performances during the winter months as we believe there is the potential for a year-round operation in Malta," Vella said, "but we are also analysing niches such as fashion and religion to attract tourists"...read on.

A government that delivers

Times of Malta 16/03/2014: The National Statistics Office a few days ago issued the GDP growth indicator for 2013 that was set at +4.4 per cent in nominal terms compared to 2012 and +2.4 per cent in real terms.
 

Such a positive result means that economic growth was practically double, at the very least, to what was registered in 2012 under the previous administration. This result is also exceptional when compared to the EU overall scenario, where Malta stands out on its economic performance throughout.

This result was the inevitable outcome of the hard work and decisive actions this new administration has implemented. However, as the Prime Minister has stated, the best is yet to come.
This strong result can only instill in us the confidence and new strength to continue on our relentless work to ensure more prosperity and wealth...read on.

Fitch Affirms Malta at 'A'; Outlook Stable

Reuters, LONDON, March 14 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has affirmed Malta's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Rating (IDRs) at 'A'. The Outlooks are Stable. The issue ratings on Malta's unsecured foreign and local currency bonds have also been affirmed at 'A'. The agency has also affirmed Malta's Short-term foreign-currency IDR at 'F1' and the Country Ceiling at 'AAA'. KEY RATING DRIVERS The affirmation and the Stable Outlook reflect the following key rating drivers: The Maltese economy is on the road to recovery. In 2013 the economy grew by 2.4%, better than 2012 (0.9%) and higher than the eurozone average (negative 0.4%), but still some way short of the 'A' median of 3.3% over five years. Fitch expects Malta's GDP growth to continue outperforming the eurozone average in 2014-15. At 6.5% the unemployment rate is in line with the 'A' median and well below the eurozone average, while the employment rate has risen, underpinned by the increasing female labour market participation rate. Public finances remain a sovereign...read on.

Want to learn English? Come to Malta

Malta Independent 13/03/2014: Up to 60 international agents for foreign language students were given a true taste of what the Maltese Islands are all about and the high level of teaching offered by some 40 English Language schools in Malta and Gozo.

The agents, from countries such as Norway, Japan and the Czech Republic attended a conference organised by the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations in Malta (FELTOM) where they were given the chance to meet up and close with representatives from these schools and were also taken around the islands. The Malta Independent spoke to a number of agents and asked them why Malta is among their clients’ favourite destinations.

Dr Karel Klusák, managing director of Czech agency Intact, told this paper that the agency has been sending students to...read on.

Air Malta to unlock the wonders of Venice with direct flights

Malta Independent 12/03/2013:  Air Malta will start operating direct flights to Venice's Marco Polo Airport three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting on 2 June.
Air Malta country manager Edwin Caruana said that the airline is confident of attaining its projections of 13,000 passengers on the route.

The whole of the north eastern city is listed as a World Heritage Site, and is well known for its beautiful canals, architecture and art. The most famous is the area consisting of the 118 islands in the main districts that are called 'Sestieri' where the main monuments and sights are located. 

Other main attractions include the Isola Della Giudecca and Lido di Venezia, as well as the isands of Murano, Torcello, San Francesco del Deserto and Burano...read on.

€320 million Enemalta share transfer with Chinese finalised

€320 million energy deal between Chinese state-owned company and government finalised • includes new joint ventures for production of renewable energy and servicing power plants.

Malta Today 11/03/2014: The deal between China Power Investment Corporation and government was signed today, paving the way for a confirmed €320 million investment in Malta's state-owned energy company Enemalta.

The Chinese shareholding will be of 33%, and Enemalta's debt is expected to be halved and be brought down to approximately €300 million.

The deal was brokered during Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s visit in China in September 2013, when a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by energy minister Konrad Mizzi and Lu Qizhou, Chief Executive Officer of China Power Investment Corporation.

The deal will be brought into parliament for a resolution to be passed by MPs and amendments presented to the Enemalta Act..read on.

Church domes in Malta in the Baroque age

Times of Malta 09/03/2014: As the Knights of St John managed to make Malta a safer place to live in during the later 17th and 18th centuries, church domes grew larger and became increasingly popular.

They were transformed into important symbols of civic pride dominating the skyline of Maltese towns and villages. In conformity with St Carlo Borromeo’s guidelines of the Council of Trent, they introduced light and a sense of spaciousness into the sacred buildings themselves and have come to be recognised as one of the most characteristic architectural features of the Maltese landscape.

Kenneth Cauchi, an MA graduate in Baroque Studies, recently gave an interesting lecture on Maltese church domes in the Baroque age. The lecture, held at the Birkirkara parish centre, was part of the outreach programme of the International Institute for...read on.

Joseph Calleja: 'There's no place like Malta'

The Maltese tenor drives around the island in a red vintage sportscar and opens up about his childhood memories in latest Air Malta video:

Film by Maltese director nominated for 2014 Emmy Awards

Mario Philip Azzopardi’s film Time Tremors is up for an award at the prestigious American television accolades, the Emmy Awards.

Malta Today 07/03/2014: Mario Philip Azzopardi's film Time Tremors, which he directed in Canada last year has been nominated for an Emmy Award by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 

Azzopardi is a Maltese director and producer who recently wrote and directed a Maltese co-production in Malta. At the time of writing, he is currently in Malta producing the Staġun Teatru Malti at the Manoel Theatre and directed a spectacle based on Mikiel Anton Vassalli at the Manoel Theatre in April 2014.

Azzopardi's film Time Tremors is in the running for an award in the 'Digital Program: Children and Young People' category. The awards will be announced on 7 April 2014...read on.

Malta guide: free attractions and things to do

Telegraph Travel 04/03/2014: Our Malta expert offers a guide to the island's top free attractions, in Valletta and beyond.

"Valletta was intended to be impregnable and for
200 years nobody even dared attempt invasion"

City Gate

I always get a buzz crossing the bridge over the ditch and passing through the great bastion walls into Valletta. This has been the main entrance to the city since it was built by the Knights of Malta in mid-16th century. It is the place to start aMA visit to Valletta. Now the buzz is a little different. The great stone walls are unchanged, but the bridge, gateway and area just inside the gate have all been remodelled by the architect of the London Shard, Renzo Piano. This is not the iconoclasm it may first appear. The area was bombed during the Second World War and suffered ugly 1960s 'renovation'. The current project is a brave way to avoid dull compromise. It is controversial, of course. The new gateway is...read on.

 

Louis Grech: Malta’s profitability 'not only down to tax incentives'

The Economist’s business roundtable with the government of Malta kicks off at the Hilton.

Malta Today 06/03/2014: Malta's profitability was not only down to tax incentives but also through a right mixture that attracted foreign direct investment, deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech said.

Addressing a business roundtable discussion by the Economist organised for the first time in Malta, Grech described stable ratings and higher inflows of foreign direct investment as the result of a sound regulatory environment, a good communications and physical infrastructure, a skilled and educated workforce, a population that is largely English-speaking, reasonable labour cost, a sound banking system, social cohesion and a good quality of life...read on.

Malta at the forefront of maritime initiatives

Minister for Sustainable Development Leo Brincat calls for cooperation between Mediterranean countries

Malta Today 03/03/2014: Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change Leo Brincat said that Malta remains a leader in maritime initiatives in the Mediterranean region. 

Brincat was addressing the Healthy Oceans – Productive Ecosystems (HOPE) Conference in Brussels. He said that while there are concerns over fragmented...read on.

Malta’s story in 100 objects

Times of Malta 03/03/2014: The earliest known Maltese poem and an 1864 printing press are two of the 100 objects that will be telling Malta’s story at the Archaeology Museum in Valletta.

Called the Great Story of a Small Island Nation through 100 Objects, the walkthrough exhibition about the islands’ history from their formation underwater to EU accession will be marking 10 years of Heritage Malta.

Held in collaboration with the Fondazzjoni Ċelebrazzjonijiet Nazzjonali, the Office of the Prime Minister and V-18 Foundation, the exhibition will also include four smaller displays celebrating the anniversaries of Freedom Day on March 31, EU Accession on May 1, Independence Day on September 21 and Republic Day on...read on.

Government says EU forecasting strong employment growth for Malta

MaltaIndependent 25/02/2014: The Finance Ministry noted with satisfaction that the European Commission has positively revised its 2013 to 2015 deficit forecast for Malta. According to the Winter Forecast, Malta has the strongest employment growth among all EU Member States. Malta has also the fourth lowest unemployment rate and retains strong growth projections, the government said in a statement.

The revision of deficit figures follows two consecutive forecasts which predicted a deficit in excess of 3% for 2013 and 2014. This is now revised positively to 3% in 2013, and 2.7% in 2014 and 2015 respectively. This emerged from the Commission’s Winter 2014 European Economic Forecast, published on Tuesday 25^th February 2014.

Finance Minister Prof. Edward Scicluna welcomed the forecast as one that confirms the Government’s own economic outlook, and demolishes the unfounded doomsday claims of...read on.

EU financial assistance for the digital games sector

Times of Malta 23/02/2014: Following a few years of concerted efforts by various Maltese stakeholders, digital games development is coming ahead as the emerging sector at the confluence of the ICT and creative industries in Malta. Skills are being provided and continuously developed both at the University of Malta, Mcast and at a number of private educational institutions; the recently set up Institute of Digital Games at the University is pursuing much needed research, while a national Digital Games Fund and various fiscal incentives are covering some of the financial needs of the sector.

Indeed, we now see a number of companies, both local and foreign, being established in Malta, but they still need to make a bigger splash on the international market. Access to finance is seen as a limiting factor as neither access to venture capital nor to bank loans is easy for these companies.

While it might be opportune for Malta to take some bold steps and innovate in the area of collateral legislation to facilitate credit financing for creative projects, this will take some time. Until then, digital games companies can make the best out of...read on.

Approved projects by Malta Enterprise expected to generate 2,611 jobs

Record number of foreign direct investment projects approved in 2013 amount to three times the total of the previous three years brought together.

Malta Today 22/02/2014: Provisional data for 2013 shows that Malta Enterprise approved 36 foreign direct investment projects, a figure that amounts to three times the total of the previous years together.

Data provided by the government investment arm showed that approved FDI projects in 2010 amounted to two, increased to nine in 2011 and down to two again in 2012.

Although the effect of last year's project approvals will not be instant, Malta Enterprise forecasts the creation of 2,611 new jobs with a total investment of €166.3 million...read on.

Malta Maritime Hub Plans Moving Forward

Ship & Bunker 18/02/2014: The government of Malta is moving forward with plans to redevelop a former shipyard into a maritime hub offering bunkering facilities and other services, the Malta Independent reports.

The site, a 175,000 cubic meter parcel at Marsa, would host refuelling, ship repairs, maritime insurance offices, and shipbuilding, Economic Affairs Minister Chris Cardona told Parliament Monday.

The government has received 45 expressions of interest from parties that would like to help develop parts or all of the hub, the...read on.

Malta International Fireworks Festival launched

MaltaIndependent 19/02/2014: The Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority will be organizing the 13^th edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival. The Festival has become a landmark event in the Islands’ calendar of events, with the Grand Finale taking place in the unique settings of the Grand Harbour in Valletta. The festival forms part of the anniversary celebrations of Malta’s accession to the European Union and   the colourful spectacle annually attracts thousands of locals and visitors alike. While each year is special in its own way, this year there will be an additional bonus, marking the 10^th Anniversary of Malta joining the European Union.

Following last year’s success, this year’s events shall kick off once again in the picturesque fishing village of Marsaxlokk, on Friday 25th April. The spectacle will continue on the following day, Saturday 26^th April, in the tourist hub of Bugibba and the spectacular Grand Finale will come to a close with a bang in Valletta’s Grand Harbour on Wednesday 30^th April with a Pyromusical show. The festival has rightfully earned...read on.  

Festival site: http://www.maltafireworksfestival.com

Malta is fourth most specialised economy in EU

Times of Malta 20/02/2014: Malta ranks fourth in terms of specialised industrial structures in the EU, according to a European Commission report.

Top place went to Ireland, which has a very strong pharmaceutical base; Sweden, which saw a considerable increase in the refining of petroleum products; and Romania, active in agriculture and fisheries, food products and textiles.

The European Commission report, ‘Competing in global value chains’, looked at the changes in specialisation between 2000 and 2012. Malta saw the most dramatic change in the category for arts, entertainment and recreation, which includes online gaming, which changed from an index of 1.40 to 6.45. Pharmaceuticals also grew from an index of 0.27 to 2.12, while furniture...read on.

Central Bank’s quarterly review confirms increase in employment

Central Bank of Malta

In the third quarter of 2013 the general government deficit widened on a year-on-year basis, as expenditure outpaced revenue.

MaltaToday 21/02/2104:  The Maltese economy expanded by 1.9% in annual terms during the third quarter of 2013, after having grown by 3.3% in the previous quarter, according to the Central Bank of Malta's quarterly review for 2013.

Growth was mainly driven by domestic demand, as net exports increased only marginally.

Price pressures in Malta were subdued, with the HICP inflation standing at 0.6% in September unchanged compared with June. Food prices increased at a slower pace, offsetting a less rapid contraction of energy and service prices. In the last quarter of the year, the annual...read on.