Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1529892
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 NOVEMBER 2024 2 NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Vatican's cycling federation official at centre of Amanda Muscat kickback allegations THE man at the heart of the kickback allegations involv- ing Amanda Muscat, Valerio Agnoli, is also a full-time em- ployee of the Vatican's cycling federation. The Papal microstate has its own fledgling sports organisa- tion and according to Agnoli's LinkedIn profile, he is the rela- tionship manager of its cycling team – dubbed Team of the Pope. A company linked to Agno- li is understood to have made payments totalling €50,000 to Amanda Muscat in 2023, some 18 months after she stopped working at the Maltese tourism ministry. The payments were flagged as suspicious by the Maltese Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit and referred to the po- lice for further investigation, according to a report in the Times of Malta. The FIAU, which gathers intelligence, normally refers cases to the police when it sus- pects money laundering. In this case, the money is suspected of being a kickback after Agno- li secured a contract from the Malta Tourism Authority. Agnoli is an Italian road bicy- cle racer and was hired on what has been described as an "ad hoc" basis to promote cycling tourism by the MTA in 2021. The arrangement was for- malised last year with Agno- li receiving an "all-inclusive remuneration of €20,000 per annum", according to informa- tion the Tourism Ministry gave the Times. This was the same year, Muscat received pay- ments totalling €50,000 from a company linked to Agnoli for work purportedly linked to as- sistance with cycling initiatives in Equatorial Guinea, Italy, Qa- tar and Saudi Arabia. In September 2022, the MTA concluded a partnership agree- ment with Athletica-Vatica- na-Vatican Cycling to have the VisitMalta brand logo printed on their kits. The Vatican's cy- cling federation was admitted as an official member of the International Cycling Union in September 2021. Athleta Vaticana is the Holy See's umbrella sports organisa- tion and is made up of citizens of the Vatican City, employees of the Holy See and their im- mediate family members. Agnoli has been the Vatican's cycling federation's external relations manager since June 2022. Amanda Muscat received €50,000 from a company linked to Valerio Agnoli, who was given a contract by the Malta Tourism Authority in a bid to promote cycling tourism Valerio Agnoli (shown in colour) is a full-time employee of the Vatican's cycling federation CLAYTON Bartolo's resignation was a victory for the people even if it was "half-hearted and late", Bernard Grech said on Tuesday. The Nationalist Party leader insisted the Prime Minister should now remove Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri too. Bartolo and Camilleri were found to have breached ethics when they employed the former's then girlfriend, Amanda Muscat, as a consultant with a bumped-up wage. Despite the consultancy role, Muscat continued to work as Bartolo's personal secretary. The Standards Commissioner found the two ministers abused their po- sition. Bartolo and Camilleri had defied calls to resign over the past three weeks. None- theless, Bartolo yesterday stepped down after new revelations showed that his wife received €50,000 from a company linked to someone who has a contract with the Malta Tourism Authority. The suspicious transactions, believed to be a kickback, were flagged by the FIAU and commu- nicated for further investigation to the police. Camilleri has refused to resign, insisting he did nothing wrong. Grech yesterday insisted that Camilleri must also step down and if he continues to refuse, the Prime Minister should fire him. "Clayton Bartolo's resignation is late and half-hearted, taken only because the people united against the fraud perpet- uated by Robert Abela and his govern- ment," Grech said, adding Bartolo's wife should return the €70,000 she received in public funds. "It's unacceptable having a law for the gods, and a law for the rest of the people," he said. Meanwhile, independent candidate Ar- nold Cassola, who had requested the eth- ics probe, said Bartolo should not benefit from the severance package afforded to ministers who retire or are removed. "The Prime Minister Robert Abela should ensure that ministers who are forced to resign in disgrace are not given any terminal benefits that are reserved for ministers who have terminated their post honourably," Cassola said. Rule of law NGO Repubblika yesterday filed a notice informing the police that a crime has occurred following allegations that Clayton Bartolo's wife received tens of thousands of euros in a kickback. Repubblika filed a 'notitia criminis' with Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa against Clayton Bartolo, his wife Amanda Muscat, and Italian cyclist Valerio Agnoli. The NGO said the three acted as ac- complices and participated in a criminal association to commit bribery and cor- ruption, trading in influence, and money laundering. Repubblika's formal notice was drawn up by lawyer Jason Azzopardi. Bartolo resignation is people's victory, Bernard Grech says Clint Camilleri under pressure to follow suit PN leader Bernard Grech (left) says Clint Camilleri must resign too and Arnold Cassola (right) says Bartolo should not receive severance package