Roderick Galdes, Malta’s Minister for Social and Affordable Accommodation, owns multiple properties and plots of land across Italy and Sicily, including a series of significant investments in Ragusa, Rosolini and the Dolomites between 2022 and 2025.
The purchases were made while Galdes held senior responsibility for the housing sector, first as Parliamentary Secretary for Social Housing, a role he assumed in 2017, and later as Minister responsible for the sector from 2020 onwards.
The first trace of Roderick Galdes’ property activity in Italy appears in Catania. On 6 December 2019, Galdes and his wife, Joanne Galdes, jointly purchased a 20-square-metre ground-floor unit at Cortile Litrico.
Joanne Galdes is a director at Wasteserv and has held roles at the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
Galdes’ next documented property appears in Rosolini, in the province of Siracusa. According to the local land registry, Galdes and his wife jointly own a villa in Contrada Cavetta Amenta, measuring approximately 177 square metres.
The building was originally registered as a collabente, an uninhabitable or derelict structure, and was formally converted into a residential property in June 2022.
A year later, Galdes made another move in Ragusa. Land registry records show that on 15th June 2023, he purchased a large villa complex on Modica–Giarratana, comprising a main residence and a smaller unit.
Unlike his earlier properties, this acquisition is registered entirely in Galdes’ name. A formal renovation was recorded shortly after the transaction, confirming the site’s redevelopment.
The Ragusa records also show that Galdes holds agricultural land in the same area, acquired through a series of purchase deeds in June 2022 and July 2023.
These holdings include two agricultural parcels owned jointly on a 50% basis with Norbert Bellia, a Malta-born co-owner, as well as a smaller parcel in which Galdes holds a 1/8th share, alongside Bellia and two local Italian owners, Paola and Maria Occhipinti.
In 2024, an application by Galdes and Bellia to develop agricultural land in Ragusa was rejected.
Bellia appears to be a car dealer. In Malta, this name appears on numerous applications to develop sites into apartments and car showrooms.
A piece of agricultural land with a building in Sicily is listed within Galdes’ 2021 asset declaration.
Galdes’ most recent documented property activity appears far from Sicily.
According to the Udine land registry, Galdes and his wife jointly own three residential units in Forni di Sopra, a mountain village in the Dolomites.
The apartments were derived from a formal administrative division registered on 10th October 2025, rather than through individual purchases. The three units together total 10.5 rooms and remain jointly owned by the couple.
According to Google Maps, it appears that it comprises an entire residential block.
Galdes and his property deals have been under the microscope ever since Marlene Mizzi, the former chairperson of Malita Investments, accused him of interfering in the company’s operations and of “hobnobbing” with contractors that the company had engaged.
The Times of Malta have since revealed two property deals between Galdes and Excel Investments, a property development company owned by Joseph Portelli, Mark Agius, and Daniel Refalo.
According to his 2021 asset declaration, the most recent available, Galdes also owns properties in Luqa, Xagħra, Qormi, Siġġiewi, Middlesex, and Sicily.
Galdes, for his part, has described the criticism as an “attack on him and his family” and has denied all allegations.
When asked by reporters about Galdes’s property portfolio, Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that he was satisfied with the explanations provided, which claimed that the majority of properties were purchased before Galdes became minister.
Galdes did not respond to a request for comment from Amphora Media.
In 20 days, Fortina converted an €8.1 million waiver on restrictions on government land into a €40 million sale to a company within the corporate structure of Bet 365.
On 17th July 2019, Parliament approved a waiver to lift long-standing restrictions on government land owned by Fortina. Documents obtained by Amphora Media show that on 6th August, Fortina Developments sold a part of that same site to Hillside (New Media Malta Property) Limited, a company ultimately owned by Bet365 Group Limited, for €40 million.
Bet365 declined to comment. Fortina’s lawyers told Amphora Media that “the transaction in question was conducted between commercial entities through properly executed public deeds, which are matters of public record and accessible for your review. These deeds contain the complete factual record of the transaction.”
Parliament approved the waiver on development restrictions for €8.1 million. A report by the National Audit Office found an independent valuation of €18 to €23 million was suppressed by government officials.
One of these restrictions was a ban on any above-ground construction or development in the area.
Fortina secured the €40 million promise of sale with Hillside against an €8 million deposit on 14th February 2018, a year and a half before the land restrictions were lifted by Parliament.
This was two months before the Planning Authority received Fortina’s application permit over a change of use to office space. It was approved in October 2018.
The deal included several airspace parcels of land within the entire site:
A 1,645 square metre site,
A 940 square metre site,
A 978 square metre site,
A building permit awarded to Fortina Developments Ltd, the company led by CEO Edward Zammit Tabona (PA 03913/18),
The use and modification of the existing car park.
According to the deed, Hillside (New Media Malta Property) Limited has “free and unencumbered” ownership of the site, including against “any rights in favour of the Government or any other public authority”.
The €40 million sale does not include the Hotel development or other sites on the land that are still owned through Fortina-linked companies.
Hillside’s accounts in 2019 also list a separate €33.9 million expense for the construction and development of the building, of which almost €1.7 million had already been paid by that time.
The deed of sale references the “Arapa Deed”, which was a tripartite legal agreement between the Planning Authority, the Malta Tourism Authority, and Fortel Services Limited.
This earlier deed imposed an obligation on Fortel to restrict the use of the hotel development to tourist accommodation only, strictly prohibiting its use for permanent residential occupation.
The deed of sale included specific clauses, such as the creation of the FSL Easement, designed to protect Hillside’s acquired property in the event of a breach of the Arapa Deed that could impact the entire project.
The Journey from a €250,000 deed to a €40 million sale
The site is part of the land Fortina acquired through multiple government deeds, which had restrictions lifted as part of the €8.1 million deal.
Fortina acquired the site for just under €250,000 in a 1996 government deed. The deed gave Fortina “free and unencumbered” use of the land, against several strict conditions:
Construction was restricted to remain below specified reference points, but certain exceptions were allowed, including a swimming pool (up to 730 m²), boundary walls, toilets, garden landscaping, emergency exits, an Enemalta sub-station, and the reconstruction of the bocci pitch with ancillary facilities.
It would be used exclusively for the hotel’s extension.
Corporate records and public registry documents show that, over 20 years later, on 14th February 2018, Hillside (New Media Malta Property) Limited & Fortina Developments Limited entered into a promise of sale agreement to acquire the airspace, car park spaces, and shaft for €40 million, paying an €8 million deposit.
More than 18 months later, on 17th July 2019, Parliament waived all restrictions on that site and several others for just €8.1 million. On 6th August, Fortina sold that portion for €40 million.
Fortina’s Cut-Price Waiver To Lift Restrictions And The NAO
Fortina acquired all the sites in government deeds between 1991 and 2000 for a total value of around €1.4 million. The land was handed to Fortina for the sole purpose of extending its hotel on the site into apartments, offices, and commercial spaces.
The government approved the €8.1 million waiver. But an independent valuation, suppressed by the Lands Authority, placed the land’s value between €18.3 million and €23.9 million, depending on the payment terms.
That’s a discrepancy of nearly €13 million to Fortina’s benefit.
As part of the deal, Fortina paid €1 million upfront and would pay an additional €7.1 million over the next 10 years. By the end of 2024, Fortina had so far spent some €2.9 million, leaving a balance of around €5.1 million, which is to be settled entirely by July 2029.
The Lands Authority has been instructed by the Parliamentary Audit Committee to conduct a new valuation of the Fortina waiver, following a report by the National Audit Office that revealed significant discrepancies in the original assessment.
The report also found that Lino Farrugia Sacco, the then-Lands Authority Chairman, had withheld a valuation placing the land’s worth at €18 million
Farrugia Sacco, who died in 2021, warned the valuation “would create problems for him.”
Former Lands CEO Received Payments From Fortina’s Boss the Year Sliema Land Was Undervalued By €13M
A previous collaborative investigation by Amphora Media and the Times of Malta revealed an intelligence report that detailed how former Lands Authority CEO James Piscopo received payments from a company owned by Fortina’s CEO, Edward Zammit Tabona, in the same year Parliament approved the deal.
Piscopo declared his conflict of interest with Fortina’s owners in September 2018, after journalists raised questions months into his appointment.
The intelligence report indicated that he received in excess of €50,000 from Zammit Tabona-linked firms in 2019. A few months after being forced to resign all public roles, Piscopo was also awarded an €11,800-a-month consultancy with Ozo Group, part-owned by Zammit Tabona.
Piscopo and Zammit Tabona confirmed the payments. However, both said the payments were private and legitimate and had no connection to the waiver.
The NAO report has determined that Fortina was the recipient of a significant information leak on the deal.
The Auditor General noted that, by 4th February 2019, Fortina was already in possession of the €8.1 million valuation by the Architects’ Lands Authority – before the Board of Governors meeting – since its counterproposal explicitly referenced the figure.
Fortina later confirmed that this valuation triggered its own €2.7 million counter-valuation.
Fortina told Amphora Media that “Edward Zammit Tabona has always conducted himself in a correct manner as CEO of the Group” and that while it was not in a position to comment, it stressed that Piscopo abstained in discussions or decisions on the waiver.
In a statement following the PAC order, Fortina reportedly issued a statement insisting that the “maximum fair value would at best range between €3.5 to €7.4 million”.
“We paid significantly more than the current fair value standards. Not only did we not benefit from an advantageous valuation, but we were significantly disadvantaged,” it said.
Two Turkish companies of a Cypriot-Norwegian fintech entrepreneur with ties to a Maltese-registered payment provider are under investigation for allowing the laundering of criminal assets.
Ozan Elektronik Para Anonim Şirketi, an electronic money institution, has been allegedly “used to introduce criminal assets into the financial system under the guise of legitimate commercial activity,” according to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office statement.
Meanwhile, prosecutors allege that Aveon Global Sigorta A.Ş., an insurance company majority-owned by Ozan Özerk, was allowing “money to be transferred under the guise of insurance premiums or commercial transactions”.
Turkish authorities have reportedly seized 72 million TL (some €1.47 million) of assets in relation to the investigation, linked to illegal betting activities. Ozan Elektronik has confirmed it has been placed under a trustee, which the prosecution said was in order to “preserve its financial structure and prevent the destruction of evidence”.
“Upon completion of the compliance procedures and controls required by legislation and by the ongoing investigation, the return of customer and merchant funds will commence,” Ozan Elektronik said in a statement posted to LinkedIn last week. Aveon Global Sigorta did not respond to a request for comment.
UK corporate records confirm that Ozan Özerk is the beneficial owner of the targeted Turkish companies. Our reporting partners at OCCRP, CIReN, VG and Times of Malta could not confirm Özerk’s status or whereabouts, and they could not reach him for comment.
Özerk’s other companies also hold financial licenses from other countries, including Malta. In Malta, he is the founder and beneficial owner of OpenPayd Financial Services Malta, an e-money institution. This company is not under investigation in Türkiye.
OpenPayd’s spokesperson said the company “is aware of reports concerning investigations by Turkish authorities into two companies, Ozan Elektronik Para A.Ş. and Aveon Global Sigorta A.Ş. which are owned by the same UBO as Openpayd. Those companies are not held within the OpenPayd group of companies, and we do not share operations with any of these companies.”
The spokesperson added that “This matter does not affect OpenPayd’s operations or the services provided to its clients as the UBO has no involvement in the board of directors or management teams of the respective OpenPayd entities. The company will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as appropriate.”
Alleged scammer platform held account at OpenPayd
Scam Empire, a collaborative investigation led by OCCRP that included Amphora Media and Times of Malta, revealed how OpenPayd Financial Services Malta processed transactions for networks that allegedly con ordinary people around the world out of hundreds of billions of dollars.
Credit: OCCRP
Reporters found no evidence suggesting the company was aware the payments were linked to scams, but Malta’s Arbiter for Financial Services has indicated that payment processing companies should shoulder greater responsibility for protecting victims of such schemes.
Scam Empire revealed that victims were often led to believe that they were making payments to their own accounts, held at financial institutions, when, in reality, the accounts belonged to the alleged scammers.
Reporters found that numerous scam victims, many in Spain and the UK, transferred large amounts to the account of CurrencyRock UAB, a Lithuania-based company trading as Insirex, which used an account opened with OpenPayd to transfer the funds further.
Credit: OCCRP
OpenPayd, established in Malta in 2016 and licensed in 2019, was one of the payment firms used by alleged scammers to funnel money from would-be investors to fraudsters via sham financial trading platforms. When contacted by Scam Empire’s reporters, the company acknowledged its relationship with entities linked to the alleged scam, but said it had terminated this relationship “all for reasons related to their failures to maintain adequate controls”.
In one instance, a total of €2.5 million in small payments over three months was entered and rapidly withdrawn from the OpenPayd account held by CurrencyRock.
OpenPayd told reporters that “it monitors all transactions to/from its clients for fraud or other financial crime red flags, including through a comprehensive fraud monitoring programme designed to combat fraud from end customers”.
Credit: OCCRP
A spokesperson for the Malta Financial Services Authority, which regulates OpenPayd, declined to comment on specific individuals or ongoing investigations.
“However, the authority takes note of any information that may be relevant to the fitness and properness of persons linked to MFSA-licensed entities and will take appropriate action where necessary,” the spokesperson said.
Victims filed complaints against OpenPayd with Malta’s Financial Arbiter
In 2024 alone, three victims of various scams filed complaints with the Financial Arbiter in Malta after studying the account numbers of their scammers and identifying OpenPayd as the service provider that had opened these accounts.
In all cases, OpenPayd argued against any obligations to the victims because the company did not have a business relationship with them. Instead, OpenPayd only had a business relationship with the accused companies.
In one case, which concerned Hasbix Analytics sro, OpenPayd declared to the Arbiter that the accused company had been added to OpenPayd’s Fraud Monitoring Programme.
“Hasbix was seemingly left operating without suspension under a ‘60-day grace period’ permitted by OpenPayd before the relationship and account of Hasbix with OpenPayd was eventually ‘fully terminated on 29 May 2024’ after ‘a 60-day notice for Hasbix to cease operations and stop any transactions on the account, in line with OpenPayd’s terms and conditions’,” according to the case documents.
“If the Client fails to improve their management of fraud and/or reduce its fraud rates within a reasonable period of time, we terminate the relationship,” the representative added before specifying that relationships with 21 clients were terminated due to fraud-related reasons over the past three years and that its monitoring system identified 0.07% of transactions on their platform as fraudulent.
In all three cases, the Financial Arbiter concluded that the victims were ineligible to seek justice in Malta by not individually being the financial service provider’s customers.
“I am concerned not only with the quantity but also with the quality of these fraud schemes,” Financial Arbiter Alfred Mifsud wrote in the institution’s newsletter.
“Get-rich-quick schemes are invariably too good to be true. They are carefully laid out to tempt vulnerable consumers to try their luck with a small sum. Once inside the scheme, it gets progressively more difficult to extricate themselves out, and they are quite often convinced to continue paying into the false scheme until, finally, the truth is exposed, with hurtful results – both financial and psycho-social.”
However, the legal loophole that left OpenPayd without responsibility for facilitating payments demanded from victims by alleged scammers is being closed by recent legislation.
In April, Amendments to the Arbiter for Financial Services Act were adopted, updating the definition of an eligible customer. The new provisions state that “in the case of suspicious fraudulent payment transactions involving financial services providers, the victim of fraud exhibiting immediate, genuine and legitimate interest shall be deemed to be an eligible customer of any one of the financial services providers involved in the suspicious fraudulent payment transaction and this proviso shall be applicable with effect from 1st October 2025”.
“The aim is to render all victims of fraud as eligible customers of any licensed financial services provider involved in the suspected fraudulent payment transaction,” financial services arbiter Alfred Mifsud wrote in reply to the reporters’ questions before the amendments were adopted.
Already in February, the Arbiter ruled that OpenPayd failed to protect “unquestionably a vulnerable, old person who was being aggressively manipulated by fraudsters”. It further stated: “The Arbiter does not accept that the Service Provider has no responsibility for the damages suffered by the Complainant when it was the Service Provider who offered and enabled the vIBANs [virtual IBAN] service to the third party”.
The Maltese citizenship of 25-year-old Russian national Semen Kuksov was officially revoked by the government after he was sentenced in the United Kingdom for running a “professional banking service for criminals across the world as part of a wider billion-euro money-laundering network”.
The citizenship deprivation process for Kuksov was initiated by the government following revelations by Times of Malta, OCCRP and Amphora Media journalists in 2024.
Published in the Government Gazette on Tuesday, the official announcement confirmed that Kuksov’s Maltese citizenship, which was acquired at the beginning of 2022 through Malta’s controversial cash-for-passports scheme, was revoked.
Kuksov was jailed in February 2024 for five years and seven months after pleading guilty to laundering “more than £12 million (US$15 million) of criminally obtained cash,” according to a statement that the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service published.
Details about Kuksov’s role in the network featured in an investigation codenamed Operation Destabilise. It uncovered a complex scheme in which the networks collect funds in one country and make the equivalent value available in another, often by swapping cryptocurrency for cash.
The crime agency stated that the investigation exposed and disrupted Russian money laundering networks that support crime worldwide.
As part of the network, Kuksov and an associate helped launder over €14 million during a 74-day period.
Kuksov had admitted to operating an underground cryptocurrency exchange.
Kuksov had appeared on the citizenship list with his father, Vladimir Anatolyevich Kuksov; however, the elder Kuksov has no connection to his son’s criminal case.
When the Community Malta Agency, which oversees the citizenship program, was questioned about the status of Kuksov’s citizenship following the revelations, reporters were informed that it was reviewing the case.
The agency is “seriously considering offering to advise the Minister to initiate the process of deprivation of citizenship,” CEO Joseph Mizzi had said in an email.
The Kuksovs appear to have been given Maltese citizenship just weeks before Russians were excluded from passport sales to wealthy investors in the wake of the Kremlin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Citizenship revocations have proved a challenge for the Maltese government, particularly among those who acquired their passport through the IIP program, or the golden passports scheme.
Evgeniya Vladimirovna Bernova, a Russian national named on a US sanctions list for allegedly enabling Russia’s intelligence services and helping it evade Western sanctions through the notorious Serniya network, remains a Maltese citizen nearly three years after the Home Affairs Ministry announced its intention to revoke her citizenship.
Malta eliminated its citizenship-by-investment program earlier this year following a damning judgement by the Court of Justice of the European Union, bringing an end to a long-winded saga.
Malta had tried to defend the scheme, claiming that it is being unfairly targeted despite similar schemes existing in other countries – a false claim. It has now expanded a discretionary citizenship scheme for individuals of ‘exceptional merit.
Amphora Media’s fact-check has shown that as of July 2024, less than 10% of the reported €1.4 billion generated from the scheme had been allocated to social projects, and that just €41,847,629, or one-third of the promised amount, had been paid out. It remains to be seen what will happen with the rest of the fund.
Cruise ships in Malta’s Grand Harbour connected to the onshore power supply system just 9% of the time in the first year
Cruise vessel traffic and arrivals continue to rise annually, now at over 940,000 visitors, raising doubts about whether overall air pollution is actually decreasing compared to the years prior.
Shorter stays saw higher OPS use: 19% of ships berthed for a day or less plugged in, while none of those docked for longer than two days did.
MSC World Europa accounted for just over half of OPS connections, yet failed to plug in on several occasions.
Carnival Corporation’s liners used the technology only 6 times out of 58 calls, despite contractual obligations and available equipment.
The 45% of port arrivals occur at 7am or earlier, intensifying early-morning noise and air pollution in nearby communities.
The Senglea air monitoring station — which tracked near- real-time particulate matter — was removed in October 2024, reducing both monitoring of a ‘crucial’ pollutant and transparency in air quality monitoring around the Grand Harbour.
Local residents continue to raise health concerns, with the Southern Harbour region recording the highest asthma hospital discharge rate in Malta between 2017 and 2022.
Costs, grid stability, and outdated ship technology as possible reasons for low OPS uptake.
After a year in service, Malta’s Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system was used by cruise ships just 9% of the time, according to an analysis by Amphora Media.
That translates to roughly five and a half minutes per hour for every cruise ship berthing in the Grand Harbour.
Using publicly available data from the Valletta Cruise Port website and records on OPS (shore-to-ship) connections obtained from Transport Malta through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, Amphora Media was able to calculate the total percentage of time vessels plugged in between July 2024 – when the ship-to-shore system in the Grand Harbour kicked off – and July 2025.
The data also shows that, as the number of cruise ships plugging into the OPS continues to gain momentum, the flow of cruise ships berthing in Malta’s Grand Harbour is also increasing annually.
The OPS system at the Valletta Cruise Port. Image credit: Kian Bugeja/ DOI
The technology for cruise liners, launched by the government in 2024 and co-funded by the European Union, allows vessels to plug into the national power grid, instead of generating power from their own engines, slashing harmful pollutant emissions.
It was launched nine months prior to the EU setting a 2030 deadline for maritime ports to install onshore power supply infrastructure and for vessels to plug in.
Shore-to-ship promises to slash 90% of air pollution from berthed cruise ships in the Grand Harbour for roughly 17,000 people who live in the surrounding areas.
Research by the organisation Transport & Environment shows that the shipping sector is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution.
It is estimated to be responsible for more than 250,000 premature deaths per year worldwide, from cancer and cardiovascular diseases alone. And while all ship types have an environmental and climate impact, air pollution from cruise ships is particularly worrying, Transport & Environment highlights.
OPS Was Not Used for Longer Stays
Within the one-year period analysed by Amphora Media – between July 10th 2024 and July 10th 2025 – there were 373 cruise ship berths in the Grand Harbour. Out of these, the vessels plugged into the shore-to-ship technology 67 times, and not always for the complete duration of the stay.
Out of the total number of vessels at the port (without calculating power supply usage):
312 were berthed for one day or less
38 were berthed between one and two days
23 were berthed for between two to four days
Our analysis shows that cruise ships were more likely to plug into the onshore power supply when berthing for one day or less (19.6% compared to 16.2% and 0%). No cruise ships that were berthed for two to four days used the technology.
Shipping giant MSC, which co-owns Palumbo Malta Shipyard LTD, located within the same waters, plugged into Malta’s system over half (35) of the total 67 instances in which the system was used, with its MSC World Europa cruise ship. However, the same cruise ship did not plug into the OPS on another 16 occasions when it was berthed.
Asked by Amphora Media why they would decide to plug-in on some occasions but not on others, the company did not reply.
Since signing a ‘‘shore power agreement’ with the Maltese government, Carnival Corporation’s cruise liners only made use of the technology 6 out of 58 times berthing in the Grand Harbour, even in the cases where the vessel has shown the capability to plug in.
For example, the cruise vessel Costa Fascinosa plugged into the OPS technology on 13th June 2025, however, it did not make use of the technology during its following three berths in the port between June and July. Similarly, Aida Diva plugged into the system on 1st April 2025 but not on 8th April 2025.
In a request for comment, Transport Malta explained that Carnival Corporation connected to the OPS infrastructure for “testing and commissioning purposes to obtain the necessary certification” as “Onshore Power Supply ready”, adding that “once this process is completed, the vessels will be able to use the system routinely.” Carnival Corporation echoed the same justification.
Transport Malta turned down Amphora Media’s request for a copy of the shore power agreement, citing “strict” confidentiality due to its “commercial nature”.
Images of cruise vessels emitting fumes taken by a Floriana resident.
Number of Cruise Ships and Passengers in Grand Harbour on the Rise Again
Following a near-standstill of cruise ship activity during the COVID-19 year 2020, the number of cruise ships berthing in the Grand Harbour have been increasing annually, with the number of passengers hitting record figures in 2024 and registering quasi-pre-pandemic levels in terms of cruise vessel calls.
Valletta Cruise Port figures show 357 cruise liner calls in 2024. That’s up from 312 calls in 2023 and 283 in 2022, and slightly lower than the 372 calls logged in 2019.
Meanwhile, passenger numbers also hit new all-time highs: 940,915 in 2024, compared with 889,336 in 2023 and just 147,132 in 2021, and more than the 902,425 recorded in 2019.
This means that for overall air pollution in the area to decline, the emissions avoided through OPS must outweigh the added emissions from the rising number of berthed ships
The government celebrates this constant growth in cruise arrivals. However, residents in the area who are concerned about the impact fumes spewing out of the ships are having on their health do not share the same jovial tone.
For Alex, a resident who has been living in Floriana for over a decade, the growing presence of cruise ships has led to increased noise pollution and a growing concern about the impact this surge in numbers is having on his own health and that of the rest of the community.
“Now they [cruise ships] come in at 5:30am in the morning,” he told Amphora Media. “Sometimes the whole building shakes … just to give you an idea of the impact”.
Data collected by Amphora Media indicates that 45% of port call arrivals occur at 7am or earlier, with the earliest port arrivals occurring at 4:30am.
Together with other residents, Alex started a Facebook group called ‘Clean Air for the Grand Harbour’, and since then has lent an ear to residents, who have noticed a decline in their respiratory health, among other concerns.
Figures can back up the reality of respiratory issues for residents surrounding the Grand Harbour.
Data on asthma as a primary or secondary discharge diagnosis from Mater Dei Hospital between 2017 and 2022, made available to Amphora Media, shows that on average, the Southern Harbour region – which includes Floriana, Valletta, The Three Cities, and other towns surrounding the Grand Harbour – was the district with the highest discharge rates.
The region experienced 1.18 diagnoses per 1000 people over the six years, followed by an average of 0.95 in the Northern district and 0.91 in the Northern Harbour district.
Infrastructure Malta, the agency overseeing the shift to OPS technology, had in fact stated in 2023 that “17,000 families residing around the Grand Harbour area” would benefit from cleaner air through the investment.
The Environment Ministry did not reply to questions by Amphora Media on the matter.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Carnival UK & P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow shake hands at the signing of the agreement. Image credit: DOI
The reasons not to use the OPS system today may vary.
Francisco Ferreira, President of the Portuguese NGO Zero, which closely monitors the development of OPS systems in Portugal, explained that vessels are not yet equipped with the technology or choose not to connect, as plugging in is often more expensive than running on their own fuel.
Transport Malta reiterated that before the 2030 obligation designated by the new EU law, “subject to the condition that vessels comply with emission requirements, connecting to the onshore power, at this stage, remains the prerogative of the shipping line.” According to Ferreira, one of the biggest challenges for cruise lines is retrofitting their fleets.
“In many cases, if you have an old ship, it’s better to scrap it than retrofit it. It’s better to buy or build a new one. (…) The problem we see in this industry is the very slow pace of transformation from the current fleet to one capable of connecting to onshore power supply.”
He also stressed the importance of competitive pricing for OPS. “If the cost difference is too high, retrofitting becomes more attractive to operators than continuing to rely on diesel while at berth,” he said.
The Transport Ministry did not reply to Amphora Media’s questions on the prices Malta has currently for the use of the OPS infrastructure.
Senglea Air Monitoring Station Removed, and Particulate Matter Monitoring Removed With It
As cruise ships in the Grand Harbour increase, and OPS technology use remains low, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)’s mobile air monitoring station in Senglea has been removed, along with its near-real-time monitoring data, which was available for the public to view online.
Questioned about the absence of the monitor, a spokesperson for ERA confirmed the removal to Amphora Media.
“The mobile station was intended to be located there for a specific period to collect enough samples to be able to perform a study on any impact shipping in the Grand Harbour may have on air quality,” the spokesperson said. “This monitoring exercise was completed and removed from Senglea at the end of October 2024.”
The air quality in the area is now only monitored through the passive diffusive tube network, meaning that as of October last year, residents surrounding the Grand Harbour do not have access to monitor air pollution in the area in real-time.
The passive diffusion tube network monitors the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Benzene levels around the island. The mobile monitoring stations, meanwhile, additionally calculate Particulate Matter (PM) levels and Ozone (O3) levels, among others.
In a conversation with Amphora Media, BirdLife Malta’s Head of Conservation, Nicholas Barbara, explained that monitoring particulate matter is “crucial” for monitoring the impact of the air pollution on the health of people in the area, and there is no other way to monitor PM levels other than through live monitoring.
BirdLife Malta has been one of the local NGOs at the forefront of advocating for clean air in the area.
“If they are going back to the diffuser only, they are not measuring the particulate matter at all.” he said.
Barbara argued that the government should now be thinking of a more permanent setup to continue the monitoring efforts that were covered by the Senglea monitor, since “the cruise ship industry is not going to go [anywhere], for sure, in the coming years”.
By the time of publication, ERA did not reply to questions on the absence of monitoring particulate matter in the area and the Environment Ministry did not reply to questions about the decrease in monitoring in the area.
Potential Strain on National Grid Could Be Legitimate Reason Not to Connect to OPS Under New EU Law
Concerns about the stability of Malta’s national grid in relation to OPS technology have been raised since the introduction of the new system.
Last year, it made headlines after Prime Minister Robert Abela pointed to it as one of the reasons why the power grid was under pressure.
In July, the Nationalist Party also questioned the stability and reliability of the shore-to-ship power supply after alleging that cruise liners suffered power outages while connected to the national grid – allegations that Transport Malta and Enemalta denied.
Under the new EU law, vessels will be allowed not to plug in to OPS systems in cases where they are “unable to connect to OPS because, exceptionally, the electrical grid stability is at risk, due to insufficient available shore-power to satisfy the ship’s required electrical power demand at berth.”
This investigation is part of Senza Segnale, a collaborative project that reconnects news deserts in the Mediterranean.
Senza Segnale is a project by Amphora Media and IrpiMedia; in collaboration with Fada, Facta, Indip, Infonodes, Centro di Giornalismo Permanente; in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation.
By Sabrina Zammit, Julian Bonnici, and Daiva Repečkaitė Photo cover: Joanna Demarco
Over the past decade, Malta has undergone rapid demographic and economic shifts, primarily driven by migration and labour market demand.
A cross-border investigation by Amphora Media, in partnership with Spain’s Público, examines fifteen localities across Malta and Gozo – grouped into six clusters – to trace how population growth is reshaping communities.
The findings show that tensions often stem less from migration itself or the tax revenue migrants generate, and more from inadequate government investment in public services, which affects both citizens and foreigners.
The clusters are based on geographical proximity. An EU-funded case study of Malta found that migrants prioritise proximity to their workplace when choosing where to live, followed by strong transport links.
Malta is divided into six districts, which now have regional administrations. Migrant populations are spread unevenly among them. According to the 2021 census, migrants from the EU, non-EU European countries (including the UK) and others were distributed unevenly.
In proportion:
Northern Harbour, which includes Gzira, Qormi, Hamrun, Sliema and St Julian’s, had the highest share of EU citizens.
In Gozo, two in five immigrants come from European non-EU countries, such as the UK and Serbia.
In the Southern Harbour district, which includes Marsa, Fgura and the Three Cities, nearly two-thirds of the foreign population are non-European or stateless.
What follows is a statistical breakdown of each locality
Cluster 1: St Paul’s Bay
St Paul’s Bay
St Paul’s Bay has been shaped by rapid population growth and migration. By 2022, it was home to more than 35,000 people, nearly 60% of them foreign nationals—up sharply from less than one in five a decade earlier.
This shift has also brought greater religious diversity, with Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Hinduism now established alongside the dominant Roman Catholic faith.
Many dwellings remain vacant or used seasonally, limiting supply of primary residences. 37.3% (8,848) were either vacant or used seasonally according to data from 2021.
Despite the pressures, St Paul’s Bay remains relatively well served, with 19 bus routes.
Cluster 2: Marsa, Ħamrun, Qormi and Pietà
Marsa
Ħamrun
Qormi
The second cluster comprises Marsa, Ħamrun, Qormi, and Pietà, which together had a population of 41,689 in 2022. Foreign residents numbered 10,630, representing around 25.5% of the population, a significant increase from just 2.3% in 2011.
Marsa is notable for having hosted Malta’s first large reception centre for asylum seekers, in operation from 2002 until April 2024, when its last residents were transferred to Ħal Far. Data suggests that many former residents settled in nearby areas where housing was more affordable.
Security concerns persist in this cluster. Police reports in both 2017 and 2024 classified Marsa and Ħamrun as high-risk localities. In 2021, theft and property damage were the most frequently reported crimes in Marsa, followed by drug-related offences.
Cluster 3: Sliema and St Julian’s
Sliema
St Julian’s
In 2011, foreigners accounted for 15% of the combined population of Sliema and St. Julian’s. By 2022, the figure had surged to 52%, underscoring the towns’ pivotal role at the heart of Malta’s international community.
The area’s employment base is closely tied to the iGaming sector, classified under information and communication, where the average basic salary reached €2,159 in 2022.
Tourism brochures advertise Sliema and St. Julian’s as coastal resorts offering a wide range of accommodation options, conveniently close to the action. In particular, Paceville is Malta’s premier entertainment hub, with a diverse range of nightclubs and restaurants.
Cluster 4: Msida and Gżira
Msida
Gżira
By 2022, Msida and Gżira had a combined population of 26,398, with foreign nationals making up 58.4%. In 2011, the share was 10%, a transformation that illustrates one of the steepest demographic shifts in Malta.
Msida is home to the University of Malta and Mater Dei Hospital, two of the country’s most prominent institutions.
The locality has long been a traffic bottleneck with congestion around the Marina and Msida Creek impacting air quality, noise levels, and overall accessibility. Works for a new flyover under the Msida Creek Project aim to ease this burden, but the locality remains defined by its role as a transit hub.
Gżira on the other hand has become increasingly commercial, with “restaurants opening all the time” and Mayor Neville Chetcuti warning that more policing is needed to cope with rising pressures.
Foreign residents now make up about 60% of the community, a shift that the Mayor described as “obviously, we have the problems that come with that”.
Housing demand from hotels, Airbnb, and new apartment blocks has also driven up rents to the point where several people now share apartments to afford them.
Cluster 5: Żebbuġ, Victoria and Munxar (Gozo)
Żebbuġ (Includes Marsalforn)
Victoria (Rabat)
Munxar (Includes Xlendi)
Cluster 5 comprises the three Gozitan localities with the highest share of foreign residents: Żebbuġ, Victoria, and Munxar.
In 2022, their combined population was 12,647, with foreigners accounting for around 30%. Back in 2011, the figure was just 3%, a dramatic shift over little more than a decade.
Victoria, the island’s capital, serves as Gozo’s commercial and administrative hub. It concentrates the largest share of businesses and services, drawing both locals and newcomers.
Żebbuġ and Munxar, which include the popular seaside villages of Marsalforn and Xlendi, have become well-known rental hotspots among foreigners.
Rental affordability plays a role. The median monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in these localities hovers just above €600, significantly lower than in comparable areas on Malta’s mainland.
The Żebbuġ mayor, Baskal Saliba, noted that the difference lies in availability as much as price: “In Marsalforn, rent is a bit cheaper and you have many more availabilities… you find many more rental opportunities there compared to Żebbuġ or other villages.”
Cluster 6: Marsaskala and Birżebbuġa
Marsaskala
Birżebbuġa
The final cluster covers Marsaskala and Birżebbuġa. In 2022, their combined population stood at 29,401, with foreign nationals making up 29.5%. Back in 2011, foreigners accounted for just 12% underscoring how rapidly these southern localities have changed.
Housing tells a different story in each town: Birżebbuġa remains one of the more affordable seaside options, with two-bedroom rents just over €600, while in Marsaskala prices climb above €800.
Marsaskala’s Mayor Mario Calleja said local schools now reflect “around 40 different languages,” and the council has leaned into integration, installing a monument to diversity and running community activities. He said, “The most important thing is that we don’t discriminate.”
When it comes to safety, the two towns differ as well. Marsaskala is considered a relatively low-risk area and has recently opened a new police station, whereas Birżebbuġa was flagged as high risk in 2024.
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
By Daiva Repečkaitė, Julian Bonnici and Sabrina Zammit Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Tax revenues in Malta more than doubled between 2013 and 2023, rising from €2.5 billion to €5.6 billion, largely due to population and migration growth.
Personal income tax and social security contributions both nearly doubled over the decade, yet local council funding remains below 0.8% of total tax revenues.
Despite the population growth, investment in public services has lagged, particularly in healthcare, childcare, and local infrastructure.
Foreign patients account for over one in eight hospital users, yet legal and administrative barriers persist.
Childcare services are unevenly distributed, with areas such as St. Paul’s Bay, Sliema, and Marsa underserved, despite having large migrant populations.
Government funding for after-school programs was reduced by half in 2024.
NGOs fill widening service gaps by offering healthcare, legal, and integration support, but they face unstable funding and limited government backing.
Taking benefits, using free public services, exploiting tax breaks – a 2023 study shows these are the accusations most often levelled at migrants on social media in Malta.
A cross-border investigation by Amphora Media and our partner Público in Spain reveals that weak government investment in public services – for both citizens and foreigners – fuels tensions over quality and accessibility, rather than migration itself or the tax revenue migrants contribute.
Amphora Media examined key services in localities, many of which border each other, that have experienced significant increases in their foreign population.
Malta is one of the EU’s fastest-growing economies, with the second-highest employment rate and the lowest unemployment rate in the EU. Still, a 2021 survey showed that nearly half of Maltese respondents viewed migrants as a greater burden than a benefit, and a quarter attributed low wages to migrants.
Malta’s tax revenues have increased significantly over the past decade, coinciding with population growth and migration. Between 2013 and 2023, revenues more than doubled from around €2.5 billion to €5.6 billion.
Between 2013 and 2023, revenue from personal income tax — paid by both Maltese and foreign residents — increased by nearly €1 billion, a rise of approximately 190%.
In 2023 alone, households contributed €1.5 billion, or almost two-thirds of all income tax collected.
Employee social security contributions, which cover pensions and other benefits, also more than doubled, climbing from €200 million in 2013 to more than €447 million in 2023.
Average monthly salaries rose from about €1,335 in 2013 to €2,125 in 2025.
Yet, investment in local councils, which are often on the front lines of population transformation and the tensions that come with it, remains limited.
The 2024 budget for local councils was slightly above €48 million across 68 localities. That’s around 0.8% of the total tax revenues generated.
Healthcare: who pays?
A survey found that most Maltese people see a high concentration of immigrants as an obstacle to integration. Yet only a third, the lowest share in the EU, viewed limited access to healthcare, education, and social services in the same way.
Approximately €73 million is allocated for primary health care and community services. At the same time, hospitals such as Mater Dei, Mount Carmel, Gozo General, Karin Grech, and St. Vincent de Paul collectively receive €265 million.
Combined, this represents roughly a quarter of the Health Ministry’s budget and 6% of total tax revenues.
Data shows that the number of Maltese citizens visiting Mater Dei has grown, and visits to health centres have fluctuated since 2020.
Malta has one of the highest out-of-pocket spending rates in the EU. In 2024, Researchers say that despite this, the share of unmet needs is low.
This includes the migrant population. An EU dashboard shows that Maltese citizens are more likely to consider their health bad or report a long-standing illness.
The latest Migrant Integration Policy Index states that “healthcare entitlements remain discretionary, and documentation and administrative barriers continue to pose challenges”, making the system “halfway favourable” to migrants.
According to a 2024 report by the European Observatory for Health Systems and Policies, Malta has fewer acute care beds and less specialised equipment than several other Mediterranean countries and fewer than in 2022. At the beginning of 2023, the pain clinic had a waiting list of over 200 people.
Foreign residents constituted more than one in eight patients at the main hospital in 2023 and one in six users of the health centre.
Their number has more than doubled since 2020, but is still below the share of the foreign population in Malta, which was 29% in 2024. A report warns that mental healthcare for migrant and refugee populations is “a major concern”.
Legal changes introduced in 2024 require many non-EU nationals applying for employment, family reunification, or studying outside recognised public institutions to obtain private health insurance with at least €100,000 coverage. However, students at Malta’s public universities and institutes are exempt from this requirement.
Between 2022 and 2023, hospital revenues from paid fees increased by more than 100%. In 2024, the hospital received €1,323,284.36 from third-country nationals.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
“What we find with healthcare, and particularly in the last couple of years, is that things have really kind of stepped up in terms of payments, cracking down on making sure that people are charged and people’s documents are checked very thoroughly,” says Beth Cachia, research and advocacy coordinator at Jesuit Refugee Service, which helps refugees and asylum seekers navigate bureaucracy.
In 2024, the NGO helped 53 individuals with healthcare needs. Cachia warns of “ instances of people, even with a refugee status, turned away” despite healthcare falling under the protection of asylum seekers.
Umayma Elamin Amer Elamin, the founder and president of Migrant Women Association Malta, detailed how migrant women face similar challenges:
“Sometimes they get all the medicine, sometimes she will need to buy it herself. Sometimes, if they have an operation or an illness, they may need to wait. When it comes to communication, I feel translation is also a big issue,” she said, making particular reference to STD screening.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Gaps in Primary Care
Although the government claims that primary health centres are strategically located, St Paul’s Bay, with a total population of 35,000 (almost 60% foreign), does not have one.
Neither do Sliema and St Julian’s, which, with a combined population of more than 34,000, must use Gżira’s. Marsa (part of the Southern Harbour, where most migrants are non-European) also lacks a healthcare centre.
2024 data shows that Mosta Healthcare Centre, which has a large catchment area, handled the largest number of emergency visits.
Paola, which had the second-highest number of emergency visits and covers several southern localities, including Marsaskala and Birżebbuġa, topped the list by the total number of patients.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Caring for the youngest
Free childcare is provided to working or studying parents not on parental leave. Foreigners working in Malta are eligible too.
The distribution of these vital facilities did not mirror the population:
In Gozo, only Victoria had childcare centres available from the localities included in this analysis.
In the South, Birzebbuga had two childcare centres and Marsaskala had four.
The much less populous Pieta’ and Gżira had five and six, respectively.
The populous St Paul’s Bay only had two.
In Sliema, where the majority of pupils at schools are foreign, there are only two childcare centres for younger children.
St Julian’s is a smaller locality than Sliema, but there are three childcare centres.
Parents in full-time employment can place their children in after-school centres. The government considers that the introduction of free childcare, including for school-aged children, is behind Malta’s success in raising female employment rates.
As of early 2024, the 3–16 centres in Sliema and St Paul’s Bay had waiting lists of 25 and 28 children, respectively.
According to the 2024 financial estimates, the government reduced funding for after-school clubs by almost half, from €9 million to an estimated €4.8 million, between 2023 and 2024.
For migrant mothers without established family networks, access to childcare can significantly impact their employment prospects.
“I can confirm this is the big challenge for a woman, to have access to the labour market and to get enough funds to live easily in Malta. I can see the majority of our beneficiaries have this problem,” says Elamin. “Sometimes they can’t work, for example, because of their situation or maybe because they are married and they have children, or they don’t have access to services that can help them to work with their children.”
The Expats Malta Facebook community also guides its members who seek better schooling for their children.
“If you’re a typical family, it’s fine, no problem. You move to a village, you’re in the catchment area for a school, and that’s where your child goes. But if you come as a single parent, they’ll ask: do you have a letter of authorisation from the other parent? Even if you have full custody. It’s all these small things where the right information is just missing,” one of its administrators, Tom Erik Skjønsberg, says.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
NGOs stepping up without public investment
NGOs, such as the Migrant Women Association Malta, and communities attempt to fill the gaps left by state authorities. The association has begun incorporating social services into its training and entrepreneurship portfolio.
“We have become like one of the organisations that have a social service directly to the asylum seeker, refugee, and migrant woman. But specifically those affected by poverty and sexual gender based violence,” says its founder, Umayma Elamin Amer Elamin.
Since last year, JRS Malta, where Beth Cachia works, is partnering with aditus Foundation and Migrant Women Association Malta to jointly provide legal, psychological and social work services, cultural mediation, and basic integration support services to vulnerable individuals.
However, without sustained funding, it can be difficult to maintain.
“We had something before. We used to study Maltese, English and some arts as well. Computers too. But because of COVID-19, we closed and we didn’t open it again,” Mohamed Ibrahim from the Sudanese community told Amphora Media.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t [find government support]. We used to collect money to pay the rent and we had to close it. We didn’t even try find a place for us because the support there once was lost.”
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
By Daiva Repečkaitė, Julian Bonnici and Sabrina Zammit Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Malta’s population grew by over 100,000 in a decade, with migrants now representing one in five residents – and a majority in several urban localities.
Over the same period, tourism has increased to roughly 62,000 extra people every day.
Tax revenues have almost doubled, but local councils remain severely underfunded, receiving less than 1% of total tax revenue despite managing key services like waste, roads, and public spaces.
Waste management has become a flashpoint issue, politicised amid rising construction and tourism; complaints and enforcement gaps persist despite regionalisation reforms.
Economic geography is uneven: Sliema and St Julian’s dominate finance and tech, while southern towns depend on lower-wage retail and hospitality sectors.
Integration efforts are fragmented – some councils build partnerships with schools, churches, and NGOs, but most lack dedicated funding or staff for community programmes.
Experts and community leaders warn that true integration depends on local infrastructure, not national rhetoric, calling for investment in schools, councils, and shared spaces.
Malta’s population has increased by over 100,000 in the past decade, with migrants now accounting for one in five residents. In the country’s patchwork of towns and villages, it is residents and their local councils that sit on the frontline of this transformation.
Malta’s small size and a large number of local councils create an opportunity for local governments to be close to the people.
Local councils are responsible for upkeep and maintenance of roads, open spaces, playgrounds, and kindergartens; waste collection; and, under national schemes and in cooperation with national authorities, for health and educational facilities. They also have statutory duties to provide certain information to residents on their rights, services, and local decisions.
As localities become increasingly diverse and foreign populations within them grow, some take initiative, while others merely watch as tensions rise.
In several Maltese communities, foreigners now outnumber citizens. In St Paul’s Bay and Gżira, three out of every five residents are foreign, while in St Julian’s, Sliema and Pietà they make up just over half.
Msida mayor Charles Selvaggi told Amphora Media that the official figure is a conservative estimate, as he believes there are many unregistered residents.
These shifts are reshaping the character of the localities. In communities like Sliema and St Julian’s, which have attracted foreign residents, including many of those working in the lucrative iGaming and financial services industries, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the locality is over €1,200 per month, according to the Housing Authority data.
“The community is disappearing bit by bit. The young people from St Julian’s are leaving to find cheaper housing elsewhere,” St Julian’s mayor Guido Dalli told Amphora Media.
Conversely, Damien Schembri, the mayor of Munxar, which also includes Xlendi, believes that affordability and rising housing costs in Malta could be behind recent increases in Gozo’s foreign population.
“As a country, we’ve attracted many third-country nationals, and they need somewhere to live. I think the most affordable rents are in Xlendi and Marsalforn,” he said.
According to the Housing Authority, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Munxar is €638 – nearly half of that in St Julian’s.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Localities differ not only in the composition of nationalities. They also attract a diverse range of industries and offer various job opportunities.
According to the Central Bank, “St Julian’s and Sliema, alongside St. Paul’s Bay, Mellieħa and Valletta, have an active role as central hubs for the retail sector”.
In total terms, St Paul’s Bay (2,929), Sliema (2,804) and Qormi (2,519) have the largest number of businesses, whereas St Julian’s had the most active commercial scene, with nearly 173 businesses per 1,000 residents.
Southern localities of Marsaskala and Birżebbuġa had the lowest presence of business. St Paul’s Bay has a relatively low business density per capita, but it still hosts a large number of businesses overall.
However, Sliema and St Julian’s stood out as outliers, hosting the island’s top-earning private industries. NSO figures show that the two highest-paying sectors are Financial and Insurance Activities (€2,777 per month) and Information and Communication (€2,430 per month).
Together, Sliema and St Julian’s account for 702 businesses in these sectors. When it comes to Financial and Insurance Activities, the combined total, 370, matches all other localities under review.
A similar disparity appears in “professional, scientific and technical activities”, the fourth best-paying private industry (€1,937 per month). Here, Sliema hosts 495 businesses and St Julian’s 418. The closest competitors are Msida (233) and Qormi (223).
Conversely, the sector grouping “Wholesale and retail trade; transportation and storage; accommodation and food service activities” records the lowest average monthly salary (€1,663) but remains the most common economic activity in localities such as Marsa, Ħamrun and Qormi. It is the activity with the largest number of employees in Malta, with 69,086 employees.
Among the areas reviewed, Qormi (632) and St Paul’s Bay (461) lead the list, followed by Sliema (443) — highlighting the area’s broad mix of economic activity.
“There are so many people here—Gżira has become very commercial. Restaurants are opening all the time. Big business. So obviously, a lot of people will come here, and when more people come, more problems will arise,” says Gżira mayor Neville Chetcuti. He wants to see more police presence in his town.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Our calculations show that overall, the more the population increases, the less local council budgets keep up.
According to the latest available data, Malta generated almost €5.6 billion in tax revenues in 2023, an increase of almost €1.5 billion from 2020.
In comparison, the total budget for the 68 local councils in Malta and Gozo that same year was almost 43.9 million, less than 0.8% of the total tax revenue generated.
For communities facing the burden of overpopulation and overtourism, such as Sliema, that figure drops to 0.02%, despite the economic activity in the area.
Among the localities analysed, Msida, with the largest share of foreign population in Malta, had the smallest budget per capita. Since 2013, Marsa has had the smallest budget upgrade. The Gozitan localities enjoyed larger allocations.
Accounting for inflation, local council budgets increased by more than half in only three of the localities under review: St Paul’s Bay, Sliema, and St Julian’s.
When waste takes over
“The biggest headache we have is rubbish,” says Żebbuġ (Gozo) mayor Baskal Saliba.
According to the European Environment Agency, the total amount of waste generated in Malta increased by 100% between 2010 and 2022. It increased by a further 7% in 2023.
The largest contributor was construction and demolition, a consequence of the development boom required to accommodate Malta’s population growth.
Municipal waste generation per capita has started decreasing since 2019, as has total waste generation, despite minor fluctuations during the 2020–2022 period. Yet, the visibility of waste in localities and the shifting responsibility for waste management have politicised the issue.
Data shows that councils received numerous complaints about late or lacking waste collection: Marsaskala was receiving 16 per week in 2022, Żabbar received over 700 in 2024. However, some councils did not have a system to log such complaints.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
A 2023 study on online hate speech in Malta found that hateful social media comments often dehumanised migrants by associating them with dirt or waste. The researchers noted that the Maltese words “żibel”, “ħmieġ”, and “imbarraz” appeared particularly frequently..
The government has attempted to address the issue. In 2020, it announced the regionalisation of waste management, intending to achieve economies of scale.
“We have to admit that when the regions took over the waste collection tenders, it failed—it failed in the sense that the plan to reduce black bags [mixed waste] didn’t work,” St Julian’s mayor Dalli told Amphora Media.
Marsaskala mayor Mario Calleja is also unconvinced, warning that it has created a bureaucratic challenge and left him powerless. Msida mayor Charles Selvaggi went further, warning that it’s forcing people out of communities:
“If you ask why native Maltese move out of Msida, they mention two reasons: too many foreigners, and the enormous waste problem we have in Msida, which is phenomenal,”he told Amphora Media.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
‘Foreigners’, a seemingly catch-all term for residents, tourists and asylum seekers, often receives the blame, despite the clear distinctions between the groups.
Marsaskala Mayor Calleja is critical of blaming resident foreigners for waste problems, instead pointing to the rise of short-term rentals.
Gżira mayor Neville Chetcuti shares this view, observing that “the majority [of litterers] for sure are tourists. Especially those in short lets—they’re the ones who cause the most problems. Long lets—some here, some there—are not as bad. But the worst are the short lets.”
Selvaggi is also cautious of placing the blame on ‘others’. “Everyone litters—we say foreigners because there are many foreigners living in Msida. Opposite the new government [housing] block, which is all Maltese, the problems are enormous.”
Munxar mayor Schembri believes that in his locality, waste disposal contraventions are typically committed by migrant workers.
“We see a big issue with waste separation, because they just don’t put out the waste on the scheduled day, and unfortunately, we mostly see this among third-country nationals,” he said, suggesting compulsory information sessions about waste for migrant workers.
Since 2020, waste separation has been made mandatory. In 2022, nearly 4,900 contraventions were issued.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Councils and Communities: A Shared Path Forward, Stepping Up When Central Government Will Not
The National Strategic Vision for Local Government 2023-2030 promises that “Difficulties that may exist between Local Councils and Regional Councils will be scrutinised, followed up by an exercise through which a holistic list of guidelines could be created” without specifying how. With investment in local services low, Calleja’s approach to resolving various pressures relies on personal contact and networking.
“We are in contact with the schools, with the church and everyone. In a community like ours, in Marsaskala, the mayor, the police inspector, the parish priest, the bank manager, and the heads of schools have to be united. If these people are united, then it could be easy to run the community,” he says.
Kirstin Sonne, who has published a study on I Belong, a programme that offered courses to migrants, told Amphora Media that bringing migrants and educators allows persons from different communities to know one another and share practical advice.
The programme took place at Malta’s central academic institutions. Sonne thinks that it would have been more impactful if it had a local character.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Speaking to Amphora Media, Mohamed Ibrahim, a Sudanese community leader, said that sometimes integration has to come from migrants themselves. An alumni of the I Belong programme, he explained that convincing others to join him was not easy.
“It’s not easy to convince someone. It is up to us. I convinced very few.”
“If you want to employ me but don’t understand you. How can I work with you? So [language] is very important. You have Maltese and English. So everyone has an opportunity.”
Chetcuti of Gżira told Amphora that in his experience, inviting diverse communities to events at the council has not been fruitful, unless they are specifically targeted to migrants.
The experience of the Migrant Women Association Malta shows that distance, on a small island plagued by bad traffic makes a difference in facilitating or impeding migrant women’s access to integration initiatives, and most women attending the programmes live close to the organisation’s hub in Ħamrun.
The Nepali Malta Association is also a centre point for the Nepalese community in Malta. It has become a somewhat embassy in Malta, assisting its members in integrating and settling down in the country, while also addressing their issues.
However, without sustained funding, it can be difficult to maintain.
“We had something before. We used to study Maltese, English and some arts as well. Computers too. But because of COVID-19, we closed and we didn’t open it again,” Mohamed Ibrahim from the Sudanese community told Amphora Media.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t [find government support]. We used to collect money to pay the rent, and we had to close it. We didn’t even try to find a place for us because the support there once was lost. Rent is not cheaper.”
Sonne says that integration cannot be uncoupled from local infrastructures.
“I think it would make more sense to invest in community events, or give local councils more money to create local infrastructure that people can use collectively. I think these kinds of organic ways of integrating, also putting a lot of resources into schools, that’s what could solve problems.”
She concluded that “If there aren’t infrastructures and policies in place to accommodate a diverse population, then you are going to have so-called migration problems.”
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
By Julian Bonnici, Daiva Repečkaitė and Sabrina Zammit Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Malta’s population rose by 100,000 in a decade, while tourism doubled, straining public order and services.
Police numbers barely grew, up just 32 since 2017 despite sharp population and tourism increases.
Frontline ranks shrank, with fewer district constables and more civilian or reserve staff.
Officer shortages are acute — in Sliema, Msida, and Gzira, one officer serves about 700 residents.
Paceville and other hotspots lack stations, as reports in St Julian’s rose by over 40% since 2020.
Police spending more than doubled to €117 million in 2025, driven by overtime and allowances, not new hires.
Overtime costs jumped 860% in ten years, while staff numbers stayed flat.
Community policing covers little ground, with just 129 officers across 25 localities.
Migrants face language and trust barriers, limiting access to justice and protection.
Court delays persist, leaving victims and migrant families without case updates or closure.
Malta’s population has swelled by more than 100,000 in the past decade, fuelled largely by migration. One in five residents is foreign, while record levels of tourism add further pressure.
Yet investment in policing and enforcement has not kept pace. Despite a ballooning budget dominated by overtime and allowances, the number of officers serving communities has remained largely unchanged, leaving districts overstretched. Meanwhile, residents, both local and migrant, have concerns over safety and security.
As of November 2024, Malta’s police force employed 2,405 people, just 32 more than in 2017, and about 500 more than in 2004, when the population was roughly 400,000.
As of November 2024, Malta’s police force employed 2,405 people, 469 more than in 2004, when the population was roughly 400,000.
In contrast, Malta’s estimated population now stands at approximately 574,000, with migration driving the current increase.
Tourism has also doubled in the past eleven years: inbound visitors rose from 1.5 million in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2024, adding an average of 62,000 extra people to the country every day.
The strain is most visible at the community level. In Sliema, Msida, and Gżira, grouped as Police District 7, 67 officers serve nearly 50,000 residents, excluding the thousands of tourists who stay there during their holidays.
That works out to roughly one police officer for every 700 residents, a ratio that stretches even further during the summer influx of tourists.
Police District 7 is not an exception. Ħamrun and Marsa, grouped with Pietà and Santa Venera in Police District 2, have 56 officers for almost 32,200 residents, or about one officer for every 575 people.
“If I had to mention something that is lacking in our locality, it’s the absence of a police station. One officer on his own can’t keep up with everything, but still a police station would create more security among residents,” Pietà’s mayor Stefano Savo told Amphora.
Other areas fare even worse. In Gozo, the number of district officers across the island has actually decreased by 51 over 10 years. And it’s a thankless job, says Victoria’s mayor Brian Azzopardi.
“If a policeman does his job, he only gets insults in return,” he told Amphora Media.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
In St Julian’s, which has seen heavy migration and bears the brunt of over-tourism, officers must also police Paceville, Malta’s nightlife hub, notorious on TikTok for videos of fights, vandalism, and public urination.
Yet Paceville has no police station of its own. Instead, the St Julian’s district station serves as the first point of contact for residents, even though its officers are not formally tasked with policing Paceville.
St Julian’s and Swieqi fall under the same police district, yet between 2013 and 2025, the number of officers assigned there fell by four. This decline comes despite a sharp rise in demand: police reports in the district increased by more than 2,600, from 5,937 in 2020 to 8,607 in 2024.
Valletta, which has become its own entertainment hub in the years before and following V18, also faces similar shortages. From 2013 to 2025, the number of officers within its police district fell by 32, despite reports increasing by 797.
Shifts in the composition of the force have also weakened frontline enforcement.
Between 2013 and 2023, the number of police officer ranks grew by 434, primarily driven by sharp increases in civilian officers (+238) and reserve constables (+208). In 2013, there were no civilian officers and one reserve constable serving in the force. Numbers of inspectors and sergeants also rose, but the force lost 137 district police constables.
Overall, district police numbers fell by 153, with only Qormi-Siġġiewi-Żebbuġ (+24) and Birkirkara-Balzan-Attard-Naxxar (+15) recording increases.
Despite this, the money being spent on policing has soared.
The 2025 police budget is set at €117.3 million, more than double the €53 million spent in 2013. Most of the growth came after 2018, when the budget stood at near €70 million.
Government budgetary documents indicate that the surge is primarily driven by rising overtime, allowances, and salaries, despite the police workforce expanding by only 14 personnel between 2018 and 2024.
Overtime costs have soared from €1.3 million in 2013 and €4.2 million in 2018, to a projected €12.5 million in 2025, an 860%% increase in a decade.
Allowances have more than doubled, from around €12.2 million in 2018 to an estimated €23.95 million in 2025, while salaries rose from €42.4 million to €58.8 million over the same period.
At the same time, police workload has increased sharply.
Reports have been steadily rising, with more than 85,000 filed in both 2023 and 2024. With 731 district officers across Malta and Gozo, that averages out to roughly 115 reports per officer each year.
Introducing Community Police to Address Gaps
Authorities have sought to plug enforcement gaps with the introduction of community police officers, 129 of whom are deployed across 25 localities, resulting in a rate of one community police officer for every 4,027 residents.
Sliema has just three community officers, while St Julian’s has five. Ħamrun, Marsa, Santa Venera, and Pietà share nine between them; Msida, Gżira, and Ta’ Xbiex have four; Marsaskala also has five; and Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk share five.
The entire island of Gozo has 12 community police officers.
Umayma Elamin from the Migrant Women’s Association, based in Hamrun, praised the community policing programme, saying it has helped bridge the gap between migrants and authorities on local issues and has already facilitated meetings that bring the two communities closer together.
“I’d like to see more police in the streets—to control the situation and make people aware that someone is watching them. So people become more conscious of their behaviour,” Gżira mayor Neville Chetcuti told Amphora.
Umayma Elamin further explained that many victims of gender-based or sexual violence are reluctant to approach the police directly.
Without proper translators, Umayma says, authorities are unable to help victims of serious crimes effectively.
“I feel even if translated, there is still a lack of training when dealing with the victim,” she said.
In a document sent to the Council of Europe, the government stated that “Police personnel undergo cultural competence training to enhance their ability to effectively communicate and engage with individuals from various ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.” Additionally, it noted that an Arabic-speaking Muslim officer was recruited to work in Marsa.
No other examples of diverse recruitment in other localities were provided. Effective communication with migrant communities appears to remain an issue.
Enforcement without Justice
Ultimately, enforcement is little without an efficient justice system. Like many Maltese residents, migrants also struggle with the country’s legal system, which suffers from some of the worst delays in Europe.
Speaking to Amphora Media, representatives of the Nepal Malta Charity Organisation stated that while interactions with authorities are often positive, the justice system’s lengthy delays and lack of communication create significant problems.
In recent years, several Nepalese nationals have died in Malta – most recently Khim Bahadur Pun, killed in a hit-and-run in August, and Gauri Kumari Baral, who died in January. Yet victims’ families and the wider community say they have received little to no information on the cases.
There have also been no updates on Ajay Shrestha, who died in 2020 when a truck overturned on Triq Aldo Moro and collided with his motorcycle.
Nepalese community representatives added that the safety of courier drivers remains a neglected concern. While some working conditions have improved, problems with unpaid wages, overtime, sick leave, and bonuses persist.
“Every day we are facing an accident, no one is taking responsibility.
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
By Daiva Repečkaitė, Julian Bonnici and Sabrina Zammit Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Over time, the image of migrants has changed in Malta, from minorities in need of help to workers who “have supported the economy on multiple fronts”, shored up the pensions system and filled skills gaps
Yet, Amphora Media’s review of national policies and EU-funded projects indicates that migrants have more often been seen as a problem to manage rather than fellow residents.
Only one local council in Malta and Gozo, Sliema, has managed to follow through with an EU-funded project related to migrant integration.
Positive attitudes towards the Integration of migrants appeared to be gaining ground by 2021 compared to 2017. One in three Maltese respondents said that the government should consider integration of non-EU migration as its top priority, roughly half said it should be prioritised more.
“Integration pathways have the potential to contribute to further wealth creation while fostering safe communities for everyone,” Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg proclaimed in the current Integration Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030.
But with tensions continuing to rise and politicians warning of Malta’s declining birthrate, have strategies and reforms actually brought about change?
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Asylum seekers placed in struggling communities
In 2005, the government opened the Marsa Open Centre for asylum seekers. By the time the government closed it in 2024, the total number of asylum seekers housed in facilities of this type was under 200.
According to the latest data, Marsa’s population is around 5,600, and over a quarter of its residents are foreign. In 2011, the foreign population was 147; by 2022, it had increased to 1,561.
“The introduction of an open centre [predominantly] for sub-Saharan African migrant men in 2005 saw a sudden shift in the demographic population of Marsa, as hundreds of socially marginalized men were relocated within a dilapidated trade school on the outskirts of the town, whilst others sought to take advantage of cheap rent in the area,” Sharon Attard wrote in her PhD dissertation.
Back then, the locality was also “ageing” and “segregated”, according to the Kopin NGO. Based on her fieldwork in Marsa for her PhD, Attard concluded that after the open centre opened its native-born residents felt “forgotten”.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Marsa also housed a heavy-fuel oil power station built in the 1950s, until 2014. It was among 622 facilities in the EU that contributed the most to the costs of environmental damage.
According to the Housing Authority, the average price for a two-bedroom apartment in the area is €600, well below the €1,200 price in areas like Sliema and St Julian’s, which host more affluent migrants.
When Kopin, a human rights NGO, interviewed African residents of Marsa about their experience in 2017, the interviewees mentioned racial profiling and unfair treatment by the police. Yet they added that the availability of affordable housing and jobs kept them in the locality, where some of them eventually opened their own shops.
Issues do remain in the area. Recently, the government launched an urban regeneration project for Marsa. As of 2024, Marsa has a comparatively high council budget per capita, with almost €686,700. But when accounting for inflation, it has increased by less than a quarter since 2013.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
For a time, the Sudanese community had premises in Hamrun, which is within walking distance from Marsa, for various upskilling and community-building activities. The centre even ended up in the official programme of the Valletta European Capital of Culture events.
“We used to study Maltese, English and some arts as well, computer [literacy too],” says Sudanese community leader Mohamed Ibrahim. He explained that it was difficult to pay rent for the premises. After losing the physical space to gather, the community is not that active, even though Sudanese asylum seekers continue coming to Malta.
Workers in focus
According to researchers behind a 2023 study, when Maltese residents considered themselves victims of population developments, they blamed asylum seekers arriving by boat for this. But migrants in Malta are not limited to asylum seekers. Malta’s booming economy has attracted people from all over the world to work.
A 2005 document focusing on irregular migrants highlights the differences in policy challenges compared to today.
Irregular migration posed “challenges to the labour market”, it said. However, Malta already had a low unemployment rate, compared to other EU countries, and only 3.2% of residents were foreign citizens at the time.
According to the Central Bank, between 2007 and 2018, there were more EU than non-EU workers registered in Malta, fuelled by economic crises, particularly from countries such as Italy, the UK, and Bulgaria.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
In 2017, the government simplified the procedures for employing non-EU workers, and by 2018, the net immigration of non-EU nationals outnumbered EU nationals.
In an interview with TheMalta Independent in 2018, Clyde Caruana, then chairman of JobsPlus, stated that JobsPlus was pursuing the employment of third-country nationals to sustain Malta’s economic growth and its pension system.
“If the economy continues to grow we will have to import foreigners no questions asked. If we don’t, the economy will grow at a smaller rate,” he said.
By 2021, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry called on the government to reform taxation in a way that “attracts not detracts foreigners from working in Malta” and to launch “an international marketing campaign showcasing Malta as a career destination”.
Today, the issue identified in policy is high turnover of foreign workers, and one of the strategic objectives is “better working conditions, matching of skills and upskilling”. The National Employment Policy 2021-2030 acknowledged that “the inflow of migrant workers played a key contributing force to Malta’s buoyant labour market.”
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Workers in the gambling sector (so-called iGaming) are a special case. According to the Malta Gaming Authority, close to 9,900 foreigners were working in the online gambling sector.
They are not mentioned in the migrant integration strategy, but the Labour Migration Strategy promotes exemptions for the gambling sector from seeking to employ a Maltese/EU/EEA national first before offering a job to a non-EU national, and from limiting the maximum number of non-EU nationals upon recommendation of Gaming Malta.
It is difficult to find precise data on the integration of gambling sector employees, but, according to the Gambling Insider magazine, Sliema, Msida, Gzira and St. Julians are “well known for housing international (and local) iGaming workers”, and these settlement patterns have reshaped Malta’s housing landscape.
Malta, its Government and the attempts at Integration Policy
The Labour Party came to power in 2013, and the same month, the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties was set up, tasked, among other duties, with migrant integration.
By the end of 2015, it had announced an integration project, hosted a conference on integration, set up an integration portal with the International Organization for Migration and launched a public consultation on integration.
A 2016 archived copy of the government’s integration website shows attempts to set up a portal of advice and information for foreigners in Malta, with sections on education, health and ‘social issues’. Among other things, it promised free childcare to non-EU nationals’ children, as long as the parents work or study in Malta.
At the time, under 13% of Malta’s population was foreign, nearly equally shared between EU and non-EU nationals. This balance shifted in favour of non-EU nationals in 2018.
In 2017, a new strategy document promising a “stronger framework for integration” was introduced. In it, then-Minister Helena Dalli wrote, “For Government, it is important that no individual or community feels isolated from those around them.”
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
The document promised that “A migrant integration perspective should be incorporated in all sectors, such as education, employment, health, social services and other sectors, and at all levels and stages”. It launched the I Belong programme, where any migrant, from the EU or not, would submit a request, receive guidance by cultural mediators and an app, and attend language and cultural orientation classes.
Mohamed Ibrahim, a Sudanese community leader who spoke to Amphora, praised the programme’s interesting content and good teachers, but admitted it was not easy to convince others to sign up for the course.
Kirstin Sonne, who has published an academic study on the programme, told Amphora Media that the way the programme is designed encourages a specific kind of migrants – those who have already made headway in Maltese society. “
A couple of people said that it would be more helpful if they had done it much earlier. After living in Malta for five years, you don’t really need to be told about the festa. You’ve seen it many, many times. So, there was a sense that this would be good when you first arrive,” she said.
She is critical of using the programme as a requirement for migrants to access rights.
“The whole concept of integration is, I think, problematic. What is the Maltese society? Is it really a homogeneous thing that you can integrate into? If there aren’t infrastructures and policies in place to accommodate a diverse population, then you are going to have migration problems,” she said.
Evaluators of the programme noted that their milestones were ‘vague’ and there was no evidence that evaluation was conducted.
According to African Media Association Malta, despite their vital role in the integration process, “NGOs in Malta face significant challenges in their efforts to support migrants. Funding is available, but the administrative red tape can be daunting”, also, “inefficiencies and duplication of services” emerge when the government and NGOs carry out similar actions.
Photo credit: Joanna Demarco
Where did the funding go?
Malta has benefited from EU funding for migration-related policies under different funding instruments: the European Integration Fund, the European Refugee Fund,and later the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
These funds were open to government entities, NGOs, local councils and others. During the 2014-2020 period, when AMIF funds were disbursed, 24 projects received €21.7 million from the EU – of these more than €20.2 million went to the central government and only €1.4 million to everyone else.
The AMIF was used, for example, to isolate asylum seekers with infectious diseases (nearly €467,000) and build walls at an open centre (over €102,600). Implementation of the government’s integration strategy, including the I Belong programme, received €1.4 million from the EU – more than all NGOs combined.
By examining the treatment of migrants that received EU funding, it is clear that the bulk of EU funds went towards improving reception conditions for asylum seekers, followed by education initiatives (including I Belong) and healthcare. Removal of migrants from Malta by return or relocation was also quite prominent.
During the 2021–2027 period, the bulk of AMIF funding in Malta was directed to government-managed programmes. Of the €33 million allocated across 12 projects, the majority went to government entities, with only a small share reaching NGOs and other organisations.
Most funding supported reception of asylum seekers, followed by policy support—including implementation of the government’s integration strategy—and health services, while migrant return and removal operations also remained significant.
All this time the only local council to receive support from these funds was that of Sliema, during the 2013-2020 period.
Over the decades, Maltese authorities published three evaluations on EU-funded border, asylum and migration measures.
Two of these documents are a summary of projects in different countries and do not mention migrants at all. The third one was done before the activities were completed and acknowledged that it was too early to say whether it added value.
Relevant government entities do not publish evaluation reports on their policies online, making it difficult for outsiders to analyse what has been achieved, if anything, during the years of integration policy.
As for the European Social Fund, all published evaluations were ex ante, meaning they were conducted before the programmes began.
We sent questions to various responsible ministries and the Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms. They did not reply.
Beth Cachia, who works at the Jesuit Refugee Service, believes that integration policy should not rest on a series of EU-funded projects. “An integration strategy should be a structural thing that the government produces, not as part of an EU-funded project,” she told Amphora Media.
This investigation was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
