Post-storm Malta turns to EC for financial support

Following what many call as a historic storm of the recent years in Malta, the Maltese government turned to the European Commission to begin the process of tapping into the European Solidarity Fund for recovering damages over the island.

“To this effect, all government departments have officially commenced with studies in order to cost the extent of all damages,” the government’s Department of Information said in a press statement.

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia contacted European Commissioners Corina Cretu and Christos Stylianides to inform them that such studies had commenced and that Malta will be formally triggering the process of tapping into the fund.

Malta was subject to a trembling storm over the weekend, especially Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The storm uprooted trees, tore down utility cables, left basements flooded and damaged vehicles and kiosks near the shoreline, leaving substantial damage in buildings as well.

Gale-force and severe Gale-force winds battered all over the island, in places exceeding 100 km/h in strength, according to weather and news reports.

Due to the highly unfavourable weather conditions, Virtu Ferries connecting Malta to Sicily cancelled routes for 24 and 25 February, and added extra services as of 26 February.