Misplaced Pages

#593406

25-636: Robert Abela KUOM (born 7 December 1977) is a Maltese lawyer and politician who has served as prime minister of Malta and leader of the Malta Labour Party since 2020. The son of former President George Abela , he was elected to Parliament in 2017 . Abela was sworn in as prime minister following the resignation of Joseph Muscat on 13 January 2020. Born in Sliema in the Northern Harbour District , to George Abela ,

50-660: A bow. Members wear the badge of the order in the same manner as officers. The Maltese Cross on a member's badge is silver instead of enamelled. Transport Malta Transport Malta (officially the Authority for Transport in Malta , Maltese : Awtorità għat-Trasport f’Malta ) is a government body overseeing transport in Malta . It comes under the authority of the Maltese Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. It

75-603: A clean slate at Castille created apprehension among insiders. Abela was openly critical of the 2019 Malta political crisis surrounding the Daphne Caruana Galizia car bombing. In fact, on 28 November 2019, he claimed that the Labour Party would need deep rooted changes rather than superficial ones. Abela also claimed that the only purpose of the 2019 Maltese protests was provocation. Abela stated that his family law firm headed by his wife should retain

100-855: A former President of Malta (2009–2014) and his wife Margaret (née Cauchi). Abela grew up with his sister Marija in Għaxaq and Marsaskala in the south of Malta. Their mother, Margaret, worked in the administration of the Old University in Valletta and later managed the family's law firm. Robert attended the Sisters' School in Santa Luċija and St Francis primary school in Bormla , to then continue secondary school and sixth form at St Aloysius' College . A football player in his youth, he played in goal for

125-399: A part of any "diabolical pact", and presented his candidacy as an alternative to Chris Fearne. However, according to James Debono, Abela was soon recognised as the "continuity" candidate instead of Fearne, emphasising stability, unity and normality, as opposed to the bolder changes advocated by Fearne. Abela's leadership campaign was focused on party members and aimed at striking a chord with

150-513: A patch of land in his native Qormi was seriously undervalued during the previous Partit Nazzjonalista administration, where contractors paid €0.9 million instead of the full value of €8 million. Abela was described as appealing to voters with no political ties, as well as the perfect replacement to attract Marie Louise Coleiro Preca 's votes in the sixth district of Siggiewi , Luqa and Qormi . He had already been approached; however, he chose his legal profession over politics. In June 2017, at

175-510: A total of five of each on the collar. The breast star for a companion is the same as that of the Companion of Honour but without the silver rays. It is a Maltese Cross 70 mm (2.8 in) in diameter. In the center of the cross is the Coat of Arms of Malta . The badge of the order for a companion is 57 mm (2.2 in) wide and worn suspended from a neck ribbon of identical colors to

200-585: Is 63.5 mm (2.50 in) wide. Honorary companions who are heads of state at the time of their appointment are entitled to wear the badge of the order from a collar 1,000 mm (39 in) long and 24.5 mm (0.96 in) wide. The collar consists of two silver-gilt chains 4.5 mm (0.18 in) wide linked together with alternating 25 mm (0.98 in) wide red and white enamelled discs, 26.5 mm (1.04 in) wide enameled Maltese Crosses, and 25 mm (0.98 in) wide black enameled discs bearing five-turreted silver-gilt mural crowns with

225-540: The National Order of Merit in the grade of Companion of Honour, there can be only three other members in this grade at any one time. In the other grades the maximum at any one time is twelve Companions, twenty Officers and one hundred Members. Annual appointments may not exceed two Companions, three Officers and ten Members, provided that in determining the number of appointees to the Order, no account shall be taken of

250-550: The Order is Virtute et Constantia . Only Maltese citizens are eligible to be appointed members of the Order. However, honorary membership may be conferred on foreign nationals who have distinguished themselves by their service in the promotion and fostering of international relations , or who have earned the respect and gratitude of the people of the Maltese Islands . In addition to past and present presidents and prime ministers who are by virtue of their offices members of

275-537: The Parliament, Abela was never an outspoken critic of Muscat; in the fallout of the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder, he remarked that he would have "acted earlier" to remove minister Konrad Mizzi and chief of staff Keith Schembri from their posts had he been the leader. Following the announcement of Joseph Muscat 's upcoming resignation due to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia , and

SECTION 10

#1732791932594

300-866: The age of 39, Abela was elected to the Parliament of Malta after his first attempt at contesting the sixth district, including Siggiewi, Luqa and Qormi, was successful. He also served as legal adviser to the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat , which enabled him to attend the meetings of the Council of Ministers. The Opposition claimed that his private consultancy contracts with the Planning Authority and Transport Malta earned him at least €580,000. In October 2019, Abela stated that more police were needed on Malta's streets to tackle residents' migration-related concerns. In his years at

325-482: The appointment of Honorary Members. The four grades of the Order are designed to embrace a wide spectrum of achievement and service. Appointees to the National Order of Merit are entitled in terms of the law to place the following letters after their names: In addition to the same rank as national appointments, two ranks have been added The insignia for a Companion of Honour includes a breast star with silver rays 80 mm (3.1 in) in diameter. Superimposed over

350-500: The books and while respecting work condition regulations. He also guaranteed the continuation of Malta's controversial citizenship-by-investment programme . Abela, a backbencher with no ministerial experience, presented himself as a candidate of continuity, pledging to maintain the same cabinet as Muscat's, as well as the same staff at the powerful Office of the Prime Minister, in opposition to Chris Fearne , whose campaign for

375-463: The country. Abela was thus proclaimed new leader of the Labour Party . The following day, Joseph Muscat resigned from the post of prime minister. President George Vella accepted Muscat's resignation and appointed Abela as new Prime Minister of Malta . His first official appointment was that of Clyde Caruana as his chief of staff. In 2008, he married Lydia Abela (née Zerafa), who later took

400-423: The ensuing protests, deputy prime minister Chris Fearne was considered the front-runner to replace Muscat as leader of the party and prime minister, and other hopefuls (including Ian Borg and Miriam Dalli ) were reportedly pressured not to run in order to allow a quick transition by Christmas 2019 with the formality of a vote by party members for a single candidate. Robert Abela remarked that he did not want to be

425-857: The national youth team. Abela also practised bodybuilding, competing twice in the national championships in the late 1990s. Abela studied law at the University of Malta , where he met his future wife Lydia. He graduated in 2002. Following his graduation, he worked in the family's Abela Advocates law firm, specialising in industrial and labour law. His law firm's contract with Malta's Planning Authority predates Labour's election in 2013 and has been renewed yearly since. Abela has been criticised for benefiting from direct orders for legal services for public entities, including Enemalta and Transport Malta . In 2018, Robert Abela declared that no conflict of interest arose from his acting as legal representative of Air Malta while his father, former President George Abela ,

450-556: The party in the 1996 general election. He claimed that he started off transporting sick people to the polling stations in 1996, and worked behind the scenes for many years in other roles, such as representing the party on current affairs programmes as requested by Joseph Muscat and lately as his legal advisor in Cabinet. He also supported his father in the failed Labour leadership bid against Joseph Muscat in 2008, after Alfred Sant 's resignation. On 25 January 2017, Abela highlighted that

475-474: The rays is a silver-gilt white enameled Maltese Cross 70 mm (2.8 in) in diameter. In the center of the cross is the Coat of arms of Malta . The badge of the order is similar to the star, but only includes the Maltese Cross and the coat of arms. The badge of the order is suspended from a blue sash 102 mm (4.0 in) wide with a central stripe of red. The sash for female recipients

500-495: The right to bid for public tenders, should he take up office. Following controversies, he later backtracked and committed not to seek public contracts for his family law firm. His campaign was criticised for not accepting any interviews from the independent press, but only relying on Labour-friendly media outlets. At the internal party elections on 12 January 2020, Abela obtained 9,342 votes against 6,798 for Chris Fearne . Over 92% of MLP members cast their vote in party clubs across

525-516: The role of secretary of the Labour Party executive committee. They have a daughter, Giorgia Mae, born in 2012. National Order of Merit (Malta) The grade of Companion of Honour of the National Order of Merit is the highest honour that the government of Malta may confer upon its citizens. Citizens of other countries may be awarded the order on an honorary basis. The National Order of Merit pays tribute to Maltese citizens who distinguish themselves in different fields of endeavour. The motto of

SECTION 20

#1732791932594

550-409: The sash but 18 mm (0.71 in) in width. For ladies, the badge of the order is worn on a 32 mm (1.3 in) wide ribbon fashioned into a bow. Officers wear the badge of the order suspended from a ribbon 38 mm (1.5 in) wide on the chest. The badge for officers is 45 mm (1.8 in) in diameter. When worn by a female recipient the ribbon suspending the badge is fashioned into

575-409: The traditional Labour themes (social housing, free medicines for the elderly and better employment conditions for blue-collar workers) while distancing himself from the coziness of Muscat with big business. He also called for a crack-down on cheap labour migrant workers, who he accused of repressing local salaries, by proposing that employers be allowed to hire foreigners only if able to pay them fully on

600-639: Was created in 2010, taking over the previous functions of the Malta Maritime Authority, the Malta Transport Authority and the Director and Directorate of Civil Aviation. Transport Malta has charge of sea transport, including registration of ships ; and regulation of civil aviation . In 2018, responsibility for building and maintenance of roads and public transport infrastructure was transferred from Transport Malta to

625-404: Was the mediator and chief negotiator in talks with its pilots. After 2013, Abela Advocates held a licence (IIP 161) for the sale of Maltese citizenship ( Individual Investors Programme ), in the name of Robert's wife Lydia. The licence was dropped in early 2020 once Abela became prime minister. Abela became involved in politics while his father George Abela was deputy party leader, supporting

#593406