In 1998, Malta was a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea with a population of around 400,000. The country had a strong economy that was heavily reliant on tourism and financial services, with other industries such as manufacturing and agriculture also contributing significantly. The government was a parliamentary republic with strong emphasis on the rule of law and civil rights. In terms of infrastructure, Malta had good access to roads and electricity as well as telecommunications networks. Health care was also good in most parts of the country, though access to basic medical services was still limited in some rural areas. Education levels were quite high compared to other countries in the region due to government initiatives that focused on improving educational opportunities for all Maltese citizens. Despite its limitations, Malta had several natural resources that could be tapped into for economic development including abundant fisheries along its extensive coastline and coral reefs for tourism. Additionally, its unique biodiversity made it a hotspot for conservation efforts in the late 1990s. All in all, Malta’s potential for growth and development were evident despite its many challenges in 1998. See dentistrymyth for Malta in the year of 2015.

Yearbook 1998

Malta. According to Countryaah, the capital of Malta is Valletta. New elections were held on September 5, three years before the term of office expired. The ruling Labor Party (Malta Labor Party, MLP) had then lost its scarce majority in the House of Representatives since former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff resigned in protest of planned financial austerity. The election became a scarce victory for the Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista, PN), which received 35 seats compared to 30 for the Labor Party. The turnout was 95.4%. New Prime Minister was Fenech Adami, who replaced the Labor Party’s Alfred Sant. The Nationalist Party’s electoral victory meant that Malta restarted efforts to become an EU member.

In the June 2017 parliamentary elections, the Labor Party fell 2 seats to 37. However, it still provided a comfortable majority in the 65-seat parliament. In July 2017, Malta legalized same-sex marriage.

• Abbreviationfinder: What does MLT stand for in geography? Here, this 3 letter acronym refers to the country of Malta.

October

New restrictions are introduced against the pandemic

October 26

The government is introducing new injunctions after doctors warned that health care risks collapsing if the spread of the coronavirus is not brought under control. Mouthguards will now also be worn outdoors, all bars will be closed for five weeks and the limit for how many people may gather at an event is set to six. Restaurants may continue to be open with certain restrictions. Anyone who breaks the rules risks a fine of 200 euros.

The EU wants to stop the sale of passports

October 20

The European Commission is launching a legal process against Malta and Cyprus to persuade the countries to end the systems that enable wealthy foreigners to obtain citizenship in exchange for large investments. Citizenship gives the buyer the right to work and live throughout the EU. According to a spokesman for the Commission, such agreements are in breach of EU rules. The countries now have two months to respond to the matter. If they do not comply with the EU’s wishes, they could be fined. Prime Minister Robert Abela says in a comment that Malta is about to abolish the system, but at the same time points out that the sale of citizenship has given the state a stronger economy.