2008: Top News Stories
The General Election
The most important event of 2008 was surely the general election, held on the 8th of March, and its aftermath. Soon after the 2007 Christmas holidays had passed it was clear that the country was entering into election mode. When Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced the election date, Malta found itself in a hot electoral campaign that for the first time saw extensive and effective use of Internet, especially Web 2.0 features, by the Nationalist Party. An odd appearance by former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff added some more spice. The Malta Labour Party was confident of victory, supported by polls, but the PN was closing in fast and eventually won a majority of just 1,500 votes, the narrowest of margins ever recorded in a Maltese general election. The new PN government had just one more seat than the opposition in Parliament.
March 8 for local and possibly general elections
February 2, 2008
Mintoff visits Electoral Commission at breaktime
February 13, 2008
Victorious Gonzi announces new chapter for Malta
March 10, 2008
New Cabinet of Ministers sworn in
March 12, 2008
An 'earthquake' within the Malta Labour Party
The result of the general election shook the Malta Labour Party to the core. The MLP Leader Dr Alfred Sant had lost the third general election in a row and resigned from the post. This was followed by a hard-fought and sometimes bitter contest for his succession, with the front runners being MEP Joseph Muscat, former MLP deputy leader Gorg Abela and MLP deputy leader Michael Falzon. In the meantime a controversial report on the reasons behind the MLP’s third electoral defeat in a row was published. Muscat had a comfortable win, backed by the party machinery, and soon embarked on a series of internal reforms to ensure that the party is ready for the next general election. This includes changes in the party statute, whereby the party changed its English name to Partit Laburista. This stirring period for the party was marred by the untimely death of the young MP Dr Karl Chircop who served as shadow health minister.
MLP leader to be elected on 5th June
March 19, 2008
Dr Joseph Muscat elected new MLP leader
June 6, 2008
Muscat and Gonzi meet officially for the first time
June 9, 2008
MLP elects its "new" administration
August 5, 2008
Labour MP Karl Chircop clinically dead
October 12, 2008
The new Partit Laburista is born
November 30, 2008
Illegal immigration remains a hot issue
The issue of illegal immigration to the Maltese Islands continued to stay at the top of the political agenda. The Maltese Government emphasised the need of the other EU member states to share in Malta’s burden, as the small country could not handle the thousands of illegal immigrants coming every year. This initiative seems to have paid off as the concept of burden sharing was being recognised. The problem aggravated as reports of immigrants perishing on their dangerous trip from North Africa towards Europe increased.
109 immigrants brought ashore in just one night
June 16, 2008
More corpses sighted by FRONTEX helicopter
August 29, 2008
Migrants reaching Europe by sea on the increase
November 10th, 2008
Action on illegal immigration pre-requisite, says MEP
November 20th, 2008
Government embarks on reforms in various sectors
The new administration under Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced some important reforms, including a reform of rent laws, public transport, local councils, the Malta Environmental and Planning Authority, and the privatisation of the Malta Drydocks. The public transport reform led a national strike by bus owners by the government was adamant and continued with the implementation of the reform. Consultation and discussions on the other reforms were still under way in 2007. The new water and electricity tariffs announced in October, significantly higher than previous tariffs, caused an outcry among the trade unions, and several meetings with PM Gonzi personally have not yet settled the issue.
PM announces start of Shipyards' privatisation
June 18, 2008
White Paper on rent reforms launched
June 28, 2008
Utility surcharge rate rises to 95% as from Tuesday
July 1, 2008
Public transport strike starts on Monday morning
July 14, 2008
Public transportation heading for reforms
December 5th, 2008
Another negative result in the Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest in May proved to be yet another bitter disappointment, with Gozitan singer Morena failing to make it to the final.
Eurovision 2008 odds against Malta worse ever
May 19, 2008
Malta fails to make it to Eurovision 2008 final
May 22, 2008
Human tragedy
2008 had its fair share of bad news. Fireworks stored illegally in a Naxxar garage accidentally exploded in March, leaving two people dead.
The fate of the fishing boat Simshar gripped the national for a several days in July as frantic efforts to locate the missing boat produced only one survivor.
A happier ending was registered to the kidnapping of a Maltese worker in Nigeria, who was victim of the instability besetting the country as a result of the exploitation of oil reserves by foreign companies.
Young mother's body found under Naxxar debris
March 13, 2008
Maltese kidnapped oil worker released
June 25, 2008
Search for missing boy continues on eighth day
July 21, 2008
Other noteworthy news
Opening of bridge causes chaos and frustration
April 21, 2008
Roberto Benigni receives honorary degree in Malta
April 22, 2008
Deathbed video alleges police brutality
April 29, 2008
New rules for written Maltese
July 26, 2008
MaltaMedia wins e-journalism award
November 4, 2008
Malta joins US Visa waiver programme
December 22, 2008
Glen Calleja, Alexia Conti, Martin Debattista, Lorraine Duca, Fabrizio Ellul, Robert Micallef, Toni Sant and Lara Vassallo contributed to this page.
The General Election
The most important event of 2008 was surely the general election, held on the 8th of March, and its aftermath. Soon after the 2007 Christmas holidays had passed it was clear that the country was entering into election mode. When Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced the election date, Malta found itself in a hot electoral campaign that for the first time saw extensive and effective use of Internet, especially Web 2.0 features, by the Nationalist Party. An odd appearance by former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff added some more spice. The Malta Labour Party was confident of victory, supported by polls, but the PN was closing in fast and eventually won a majority of just 1,500 votes, the narrowest of margins ever recorded in a Maltese general election. The new PN government had just one more seat than the opposition in Parliament.March 8 for local and possibly general elections
February 2, 2008
Mintoff visits Electoral Commission at breaktime
February 13, 2008
Victorious Gonzi announces new chapter for Malta
March 10, 2008
New Cabinet of Ministers sworn in
March 12, 2008
An 'earthquake' within the Malta Labour Party
The result of the general election shook the Malta Labour Party to the core. The MLP Leader Dr Alfred Sant had lost the third general election in a row and resigned from the post. This was followed by a hard-fought and sometimes bitter contest for his succession, with the front runners being MEP Joseph Muscat, former MLP deputy leader Gorg Abela and MLP deputy leader Michael Falzon. In the meantime a controversial report on the reasons behind the MLP’s third electoral defeat in a row was published. Muscat had a comfortable win, backed by the party machinery, and soon embarked on a series of internal reforms to ensure that the party is ready for the next general election. This includes changes in the party statute, whereby the party changed its English name to Partit Laburista. This stirring period for the party was marred by the untimely death of the young MP Dr Karl Chircop who served as shadow health minister.MLP leader to be elected on 5th June
March 19, 2008
Dr Joseph Muscat elected new MLP leader
June 6, 2008
Muscat and Gonzi meet officially for the first time
June 9, 2008
MLP elects its "new" administration
August 5, 2008
Labour MP Karl Chircop clinically dead
October 12, 2008
The new Partit Laburista is born
November 30, 2008
Illegal immigration remains a hot issue
The issue of illegal immigration to the Maltese Islands continued to stay at the top of the political agenda. The Maltese Government emphasised the need of the other EU member states to share in Malta’s burden, as the small country could not handle the thousands of illegal immigrants coming every year. This initiative seems to have paid off as the concept of burden sharing was being recognised. The problem aggravated as reports of immigrants perishing on their dangerous trip from North Africa towards Europe increased.109 immigrants brought ashore in just one night
June 16, 2008
More corpses sighted by FRONTEX helicopter
August 29, 2008
Migrants reaching Europe by sea on the increase
November 10th, 2008
Action on illegal immigration pre-requisite, says MEP
November 20th, 2008
Government embarks on reforms in various sectors
The new administration under Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced some important reforms, including a reform of rent laws, public transport, local councils, the Malta Environmental and Planning Authority, and the privatisation of the Malta Drydocks. The public transport reform led a national strike by bus owners by the government was adamant and continued with the implementation of the reform. Consultation and discussions on the other reforms were still under way in 2007. The new water and electricity tariffs announced in October, significantly higher than previous tariffs, caused an outcry among the trade unions, and several meetings with PM Gonzi personally have not yet settled the issue.
PM announces start of Shipyards' privatisation
June 18, 2008
White Paper on rent reforms launched
June 28, 2008
Utility surcharge rate rises to 95% as from Tuesday
July 1, 2008
Public transport strike starts on Monday morning
July 14, 2008
Public transportation heading for reforms
December 5th, 2008
Another negative result in the Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest in May proved to be yet another bitter disappointment, with Gozitan singer Morena failing to make it to the final.
Eurovision 2008 odds against Malta worse ever
May 19, 2008
Malta fails to make it to Eurovision 2008 final
May 22, 2008
Human tragedy
2008 had its fair share of bad news. Fireworks stored illegally in a Naxxar garage accidentally exploded in March, leaving two people dead.
The fate of the fishing boat Simshar gripped the national for a several days in July as frantic efforts to locate the missing boat produced only one survivor.
A happier ending was registered to the kidnapping of a Maltese worker in Nigeria, who was victim of the instability besetting the country as a result of the exploitation of oil reserves by foreign companies.
Young mother's body found under Naxxar debris
March 13, 2008
Maltese kidnapped oil worker released
June 25, 2008
Search for missing boy continues on eighth day
July 21, 2008
Other noteworthy news
Opening of bridge causes chaos and frustration
April 21, 2008
Roberto Benigni receives honorary degree in Malta
April 22, 2008
Deathbed video alleges police brutality
April 29, 2008
New rules for written Maltese
July 26, 2008
MaltaMedia wins e-journalism award
November 4, 2008
Malta joins US Visa waiver programme
December 22, 2008
Glen Calleja, Alexia Conti, Martin Debattista, Lorraine Duca, Fabrizio Ellul, Robert Micallef, Toni Sant and Lara Vassallo contributed to this page.