Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1104601
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 APRIL 2019 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This is the crisis afflicting the debt-ridden PN, which even under former leader Simon Busuttil, did not shy away from taking money from the DB group to fund party sala- ries while hitting out at the company for its Pembroke land deal. The blame game is alive and well inside the PN. Delia's al- lies named his staunchest crit- ics, like Beppe Fenech Adami and Jason Azzopardi, having enjoyed the largesse of the Tu- mas Group. "To the best of my memory and knowledge, none," Jason Azzopardi told MaltaToday when asked whether he had accepted any financial or oth- er gift from the Tumas Group. Beppe Fenech Adami, an- swering through the party's spokesperson like some other MPs, mentioned a 2013 politi- cal event at the Tumas-owned Dolmen Hotel. "Therefore, well before any revelations about Yorgen Fenech's in- volvement [in 17 Black]… since those revelations I have never met, organised, attend- ed any political event in any venue in which Fenech is in- volved." Secretary-general Clyde Puli too organised events at Qor- mi's Topaz Hall, once owned by the Tumas Group, before the 17 Black revelations. David Agius, Marthese Por- telli, Karl Gouder, Claudio Grech, Karol Aquilina, Rob- ert Arrigo, and Therese Co- modini Cachia, among other MPs, also denied receiving anything. Simon Busuttil, the former PN leader, chose not to an- swer. When he targeted the DB Group for having benefited from the ITS land deal, his dep- uty leader Mario de Marco was revealed to have been the com- pany secretary of the group's finance vehicle, even privy to the negotiations themselves. De Marco also denies re- ceiving any gifts, except that he has served the Tumas Group as a lawyer in the past. "Over the years our law firm, from time to time, handled a number of lawsuits involving companies in which Tumas Group is a shareholder. One such case is Deguara vs Cas- sar pending before the courts since 1994. This information is in the public domain as publicly accessible from the justice services website." The experienced lawyer also declared that his legal fees will be determined by the tar- iff established by the code of organisation and civil proce- dure. Even Adrian Delia, the em- battled leader of the party who has become the subject of an FIAU and magisterial inquiry into allegations of money laundering, denied accept- ing anything from the Tumas Group. "No. Nothing at all. Never." The Prime Minister's spokes- person, Kurt Farrugia, did not reveal which Labour MPs have accepted gifts from the Tumas Group. "This is an issue which was created by a faction of the PN to weaken the PN leader. It is their mess and they should deal with it. We have no fur- ther comments to make." Another PN official who spoke to MaltaToday said the party had surprisingly in- creased its party membership, decreased its debts, raised more donations and small loan financing through its 'cedoli' scheme. But Delia's support is stagnant, made clear by the fact that the party is split right down the middle. "All the PN voters I meet tell me they are fed up with this infighting and that Delia de- serves loyalty because he was elected democratically," one MEP candidate told MaltaTo- day. But the same is true for half of the party which sees Delia as an unwanted guest in the PN, a factor that will cost the party a seat in the May elec- tion. "Our biggest problem is convincing Nationalist voters to vote… Delia is in Gozo al- most every week, because we are floundering there," said the candidate. One Nationalist MP, not a fan of Delia, claims people like Claudio Grech, Roberta Met- sola, and possibly Chris Said, are still possible candidates to take over the reins. The PN MEP candidate knows the May result looks bad, but says Delia will not step down. "He said his litmus test is the next general elec- tion, not the first 18 months as leader." The MP thinks otherwise. "This is the beginning of the end," the MP said confidently. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt NEWS In the doldrums: Adrian Delia faces allegations of participation in money laundering, a split party, decimated allies and a formidable opponent PN blame game on 'Tumas' widens rift