Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party has said that it hoped that the forthcoming budget will give due importance to the rights of elderly persons, pensioners and ageing persons. Prof. Arnold Cassola, AD Chairperson, emphasised that elderly persons should receive adequate compensation for the increase in cost of living. "Alternattiva Demokratika is also emphasising that the list of persons who have been waiting to receive refunds (tax, N.I. etc.) and other State payments for a long time should receive these as soon as possible, as this is resulting in unnecessary hardships, on vulnerable groups including elderly persons and low income earners. Government should introduce a ... Read more...

The EU Commission's Eurocompetition, a poster design competition for schools focusing on the 10th anniversary of EMU and the euro, is now in full swing. Until 31st December 2008 children aged between 10 and 14 living in the euro area and Slovakia can submit, with the help of their teachers, their creative representations of what the euro means to them. There will be 16 national winners and one overall winner. The poster competition website, www.eurocompetition.net..., contains the necessary guidelines and background information, a press corner with the latest news and a gallery with the latest contributions, and a link to order the poster promoting the competition. The winner will be invited to Brussels for 3 days (2 nights) together with two accompanying persons of his/her choice to ... Read more...

The Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz will be hosting this year's Youth of the Year Award presentation by OASI Foundation, the Gozo-based organisation catering for prevention, intervention and treatment services in relation to drug abuse and addiction. During the course of the annual Youth of the Year ceremony all nominees from various voluntary organisations around Malta and Gozo, who distinguished themselves through their voluntary services for the good of others, are honoured. Highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Youth of the Year Shield to one of the nominees, chosen by a specially formed Selection Committee Board to represent officially all the young volunteers in our society for the following 12 months. This year's ceremony takes place on the 11th ... Read more...

Improved safety and price transparency: these are the key features of the new regulation on the single market for air transport which enters into force today the 1st of November 2008. It lays down rules for the granting of licences, control of airlines and market access, thereby ensuring more competition in the air transport field and better quality for the public. The new legislation requires airlines to include all taxes and charges in their published ticket prices. This will enable passengers throughout the European Union to be better informed about prices and to compare offers. Price discrimination based on place of residence is banned. "It is vital that all the players keep to ... Read more...

The Parliamentary Ombudsman has today officially appointed Professor Charles Farrugia as University Ombudsman. He will succeed Professor Victor Griffiths whose second term of office came to an end in August this year. Professor Farrugia has been appointed, in terms of the law for a term of five years with effect from 1 November 2008. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has also today delegated the University Ombudsman with powers to investigate administrative actions of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) and of the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS). In the exercise of this delegated function, Professor Farrugia will be acting in line with the provisions of the Ombudsman Act in so far as these are applicable. This delegation ... Read more...

The Department of Information would like to notify that it will be offering the following services regarding the Budget 2009. Budget online - As soon as the Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment concludes his Budget Speech in Parliament, on Monday the 3rd of November, on the DOI website (www.doi.gov...) a link will be set up with the website of the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment (www.mfin.gov...) for the full text of the Budget Speech, the Financial Estimates as well as the Economic Survey. Moreover an audio recording of the Budget Speech by the Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment, will be put online on the DOI website late on Monday evening. Audio ... Read more...