Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1148959
3 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 JULY 2019 KARL AZZOPARDI SANCTIONS requested against two Maltese nation- als over fuel smuggling may have been the result of "recent" information received by the Sanctions Monitoring Board, Carmelo Abela said. The Foreign Minister said the request for the UN to im- pose sanctions against Darren Debono and Gordon Debono came from the Maltese Sanc- tions Monitoring Board but Abela was unable to say why Malta only took this course of action now. Both men had been flagged by the UN, a couple of years ago, as being involved in an international fuel smuggling ring between Libya, Malta and Italy. They were subsequently ar- rested by the Italian authori- ties as part of an investigation nicknamed Dirty Oil in Octo- ber 2017. MaltaToday reported a fort- night ago that Russia blocked Malta's attempt to ask for UN sanctions after it raised ques- tions at a late stage in pro- ceedings. Abela insisted that the Sanc- tions Monitoring Board was independent from govern- ment despite falling under the Foreign Ministry's portfolio. He insisted Malta was com- mitted to fight smuggling in all its forms. "The Sanctions Monitoring Board works on reports that they receive, both locally and internationally… it may have worked on this particular case now based on new informa- tion it may have received re- cently," Abela said. Questions sent to the Sanc- tions Monitoring Board on the Debonos' case were met with a "no comment". "We engage with Maltese subject persons on a regular basis to discuss specifics of cases, provide guidance and/ or authorisations, and more, however, your question per- tains to the specifics of a po- tential case which we cannot comment upon," the Sanc- tions Monitoring Board re- plied. The Foreign Minister re- fused to speculate when asked whether Russia's decision to block sanctions was a form of retaliation against Malta. Malta had refused entry into its airspace of Russian military aircraft on their way to Vene- zuela, earlier this year, a move that miffed the Russians. "I don't know, maybe one can ask this question to the Russians, as they are the ones who took the decision to raise questions," Abela said, clarify- ing that the Russians had not used their veto against Malta's sanctions request. "They didn't take the step to veto that request but asked for further clarification through their questioning. We are still waiting to receive their ques- tions formally, which we will answer," he added. The Debonos have been ac- cused in Italy of operating boats in the Mediterranean to smuggle fuel obtained in Libya into European markets. They are accused of produc- ing false invoices to cover the origin of the smuggled Libyan fuel. The two were arrested in 2017 by Italian authorities on Lampedusa and Catania, fol- lowing the arrest of smuggling kingpin Fahmi Slim Bin Khal- ifa by Libyan militias. In a designation to the UN, the Maltese government had accused the men of "consist- ently attempting to under- mine the peace, stability and security of Libya". Only last week, one of the men asked the courts to block Malta's attempt to file for sanctions. The Sanctions Monitoring Board is made up of members representing various min- istries, the office of the At- torney General, the Central Bank, the police, the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, customs and the office of the Prime Minister. Unclear why the Maltese authorities sought sanctions against fuel smugglers only now Hili Finance Company plc is a subsidiary of Hili Ventures Limited Hili Finance Company plc Nineteen Twenty Three, Valletta Road, Marsa, MRS 3000, Malta T 00356 2568 1200 E info@hilifinance.com www.hilifinance.com APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE €80,000,000 3.80% Unsecured Bonds 2029 Sponsor Manager & Registrar Hili Finance Company p.l.c. 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