Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/246133
2 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 JANUARY 2014 PAC to seek Speaker's ruling on Tancred Tabone's request MIRIAM DALLI MEMBERS of Parliament sitting on the Public Accounts committee are expected to seek the Speaker's ruling after the lawyer of former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone has requested her client does not appear before the committee. This is the second time that Tabone's lawyer, Gianella de Marco, has made such a request. According to PAC interim chairman Jason Azzopardi, Tabone's lawyer wrote to the committee explaining that, due to the ongoing court case, Tabone could incriminate himself by questions that the members of the PAC might ask. According to Standing Orders, every person who is asked to appear before the committee must do so. However, the witness is not compelled to answer questions that might incriminate him. The lawyer's request has been circulated to all members of the PAC with Azzopardi requesting their feedback. The PAC is now expected to ask Speaker Anglu Farrugia – currently abroad – to give a ruling on the matter. This is the second time that Tabone's lawyer has written to the PAC requesting her client should not appear before the parliamentary committee due to the ongoing court case. In December, the PAC had agreed to postpone Tabone's sitting as his lawyer had been abroad at the time. The members had however warned him that they would still insist he appears before the PAC as every requested individual had the obligation to do so. Tabone, 61 of Sliema and former MOBC chief, stands accused of bribery and money laundering in connection with the oil procurement scandal. Tancred Tabone PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Public Accounts Committee expected to seek Speaker's ruling after former Enemalta chairman's lawyer says her client cannot appear before the committee Minister will vet applicants facing politically-motivated charges PAGE 1 Nationalist candidate for the European Parliament Stefano Mallia yesterday called into question a power granted to the home affairs minister, to allow applicants for the Individual Investor Programme who are subject of a criminal investigation, to be still considered eligible for Maltese citizenship. Article 6 of the legal notice enacting the IIP says applicants for Maltese citizenship who have a criminal record, re subject to a criminal investigation or are a potential security threat to Malta shall not be approved for citizenship under the programme. However the same article contains the proviso that should Identity Malta be satisfied that the applicant "is still worthy of being considered for approval to be demonstrated by the applicant" it may issue a reasoned opinion for the applicant to be considered for approval and shall refer such application to the minister, who will have the sole authority to grant such approval. Stefano Mallia expressed his concern at the inclusion of this proviso in the legal notice. "Why has this article been included at all? Is it correct that the minister should be given the sole authority to decide on such a sensitive matter?" "I was stunned when I saw Article 6. In other articles of the same legal notice there are provisions that prohibit people with a criminal record or are under criminal investigation from applying. This is 100% correct, however Article 6 seems to give the minister full and sole powers to ignore all this and still approve the application of somebody with a criminal or dubious background. To me this also puts in doubt the whole due diligence process which we have been assured will be of the highest quality. Some kind of explanation is required." MaltaToday had previously reported that under the original IIP rules, suitable candidates for the could be "subject to politically motivated charges or convictions" if the minister deemed From left: Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Principle Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar and PM's Chief of Staff Keith Schembri during a Cabinet meeting held in Mellieha yesterday. Photo: DOI they were eligible for the programme. This proviso has now been removed. Muscat reiterated that the Individual Investor Programme would attract the highest level of talent network with the money coming in from the applications alone will be enjoyed by the Maltese communities. "Like economist Karm Farrugia said, what usually takes 15 years can be done in a shorter time. Local councils can be helped with their infrastructural projects, community centres can be developed, housing estates can be improved." Muscat refused to confirm rumours that Jacques Villeneuve, the Canadian Formula 1 world champion in 1997, was interested in purchasing a Maltese passport. "I won't comment on any particular individuals. But what is for sure is that it is unacceptable that we have certain media harassing prospective investors. This is not the way to treat investors," he said. The Prime Minister also stood by his experts' advice that there was "no basis" for the European Commission to open infringement proceedings against Malta. A political expert who preferred not to be named, told MaltaToday that the Commission was "not bluffing" and that it had "sufficient legal grounds for proceeding". The Maltese government and the European Commission will engage in talks over the matter in the coming days. Asked whether he excluded any new changes to the IIP, Muscat said he would first wait for the talks with the Commission to take place. The Nationalist Party yesterday accused Muscat of still preferring secrecy for applicants of the IIP, saying the government had leaked information that F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve was seeking a Maltese passport but was uncomfortable about media interest into the alleged Chinese billionaire who had met Henley & Partners, the IIP concessionaires. "The Maltese are united in their belief that the IIP is not an investment programme… in his frenzy at generating revenue in a fast way, the prime minister has lost control of the most crucial of policies: providing tangible investment that creates jobs." The unnamed Chinese billionaire who found journalists waiting for him at the Malta International Airport, prompted an internal investigation by the airport's CEO. Malta International Airport yesterday said it was taking these claims very seriously and said that under no circumstances would MIA employees be aware of these passengers' details, whether travelling on a private, commercial or any other aircraft using our facilities. "The only information Malta International Airport employees are privy to are aircraft type, country of origin, destination, arrival and departure times, number of passengers and handling agent. "Reports stating that the group received preferential treatment are incorrect since the group gained access to their aircraft as per usual procedures, accompanied by their Handling Agent respecting passenger and cabin security regulations," a spokesperson for MIA said. Journalists were not given access to any areas where filming is restricted. All filming was performed in public areas, which are also non-security restricted areas of the airport.