Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1088108
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MARCH 2019 NEWS CONTINNUED FROM PAGE 1 Mizzi also held a meeting with Gozo's kingmaker dele- gate Guza Cassar, in which he discussed his chances for the leadership. Various ministers and MPs contacted by MaltaToday confirmed that they had been informed of Mizzi's ambi- tions by other party delegates. "Konrad Mizzi is respected as a capable minister but all del- egates know that he can never head a Labour party in a gen- eral election. He is scarred for life, his wounds are too deep," one insider said of the Panama Papers scandal that embroiled him. The surprise move comes in the wake of the most recent statements by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that this is his last term in office, which has served as a starting pistol shot for a silent leadership race by main contenders. In a MaltaToday survey held two weeks ago, Konrad Mizzi was ranked the third most popular minister with Mal- tese voters, right behind dep- uty prime minister and health minister Chris Fearne. How- ever, Mizzi was the second most popular minister with Labour voters alone, right be- hind transport minister Ian Borg, and surpassing Fearne, who happens to be Mizzi's dis- trict rival. Popular though he may be with Labourites, in 2016 Mizzi's name appeared in the scandalous Panama Pa- pers which precipitated the Labour administration in a fierce political battle. Mizzi and Muscat's chief-of-staff Keith Schembri, were found to have set up offshore com- panies in Panama and trusts in New Zealand, with leaked emails showing the companies would be used to collect mon- ies from undisclosed sources. Years later, it emerged that the companies were connected to another mysterious offshore company in Dubai, 17 Black – reportedly owned by one of the shareholders in the Elec- trogas power plant, Yorgen Fenech – and identified as a "target client" of the Panama firms. Indeed, one delegate pointed out that Mizzi's interest in the race would only attract adverse media attention to the Panama Papers. "None of the delegates believe that Mizzi can win this election. And in recent days he has made it too obvious." That scandal forced Mizzi's resignation as Labour deputy leader for party affairs, but de- spite tarnishing his name he was soundly re-elected on the fourth district, only this time outperformed by Chris Fearne who is himself planning to run for Labour leader. While Labour's leadership race is yet to materialise, un- officially the contest is being played out already. The con- tenders for the race already appear ready to go: transport minister Ian Borg, who has emerged as a favourite among MaltaToday survey respond- ents, is one such contender; the others are Chris Fearne, the Labour deputy leader, and Cabinet advisor Robert Abela, as well as Labour's most popu- lar MEP, Miriam Dalli. The likelihood of Joseph Muscat exiting the scene this year is highly dubious and close aides have all confirmed that mid-2020 is the more likely date. That, in itself, is no guarantee: Muscat has been known to map out vari- ous strategies before making his move, such as making sure the party has a leader that can take Labour into a third term of government. What is clear is that Muscat might not leave unless he has an opportunity that befits his exit as Premier. It is an open secret that Mus- cat harbours an ambition to take up a top European post, such as that of European Council president – currently occupied by Donald Tusk – and EU foreign policy chief – occupied by Federica Mogher- ini. Both will be up for grabs in the second half of 2019. Get- ting there though does not de- pend solely on Muscat's will, and much depends on what influence the socialists will have in the coming elections… which might not be much. A weakened socialist grouping will do the Prime Minister no favours, although Muscat re- mains the most successful so- cial democrat in government. Muscat faces flak over the decision to keep Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri in office despite their involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. Panama and 17 Black remain black marks on Muscat's re- cord – more grist for the mill of his Brussels critics. Mizzi sounds out leadership bid Konrad Mizzi is a popular minister of tourism but his name remains indelibly linked to the Panama Papers scandal Clarification: Tuna reports In a report appearing last week in MaltaToday Midweek (27th February) and online, on the investigations concerning tuna laundering in Spain and in Malta, it was inadvertently stated that Express Trailers was connected to the fisheries company run by the Ellul Bros. company. This was incorrect; the companies are not linked, and the report only sought to state that Express Trailers was carrying out deliveries of the said tuna cargoes. For the benefit of readers, the error was instantly rectified in the online version. As such, the error is regretted. The newspaper apologises for the mistake.