Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/250270
News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2014 Chris Said questions PM on John Dalli's appointment Joseph Muscat testifies before the privileges committee investigating a breach of privilege by Simon Busuttil A meeting of the parliamentary se- lect committee for privileges turned into a grilling on the appointment of former European Commissioner John Dalli as government consultant on health. The committee met yesterday to start investigating a breach of privilege complaint filed by the Prime Minister against the leader of the Opposition. The matter goes back to October of last year, when during a parliamentary debate Joseph Muscat asked Simon Busuttil to withdraw or substantiate an allegation he made in his regard. Then, Busuttil had "come to the logical political conclusion" that the Prime Minister had interfered in the police investigation against John Dalli. Busuttil had argued that a series of political actions, mainly the appointment of Peter Paul Zammit as Police Commissioner and the reappointment of the team investigating the Dalli case, led him to deduce that there had been political interference in the case. Referring to the testimony of former commissioner of police John Rizzo, Busuttil said Rizzo told the court he had the go-ahead from the Attorney General to arraign Dalli on charges of bribery. On national TV, the current Police Commissioner however said the case against Dalli was "case closed". But yesterday evening, PN secretary general Chris Said - representing the Opposition on the committee - repeatedly asked Muscat on how he had appointed Dalli as government consultant. Muscat said it was Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia who suggested John Dalli should advice government on health-related matters and he accepted. Said also asked whether Muscat had spoken to the Police Commissioner before appointing Dalli. Muscat reiterated that he learnt that the case against Dalli was "closed" from the media. "No I didn't speak to the Police Commissioner because that would be interfering with a police investigation. I never spoke to the Police Commissioner on any case or investigation," the PM said. As questions turned to the day when Dalli submitted his resignation to the European Commission, Joseph Muscat protested saying that the committee should be discussing the accusation Busuttil leveled against him and not the John Dalli case. Said went on to question Muscat as to whether it had been himself - as prime minister - who appointed Peter Paul Zammit as the police commissioner, thus removing John Rizzo. "Yes, I did... as is my competence to do. But the assertions being made here undermine the institutions," he said, adding that he felt that it had been time for Rizzo to "make way for someone new". "But I am also aware of Rizzo's abilities and therefore appointed him as head of the Civil Protection Department." At the start of the sitting, Muscat explained he had filed the complaint not because he didn't accept the Opposition's criticism but because he had been accused of interfering in a criminal investigation - which according to law is a criminal act. "We are a democracy and that also means that an Opposition has to criticise a government. The issue here is not whether that criticism is guided - that's up to the electorate to decide then - but that a serious allegation was made and it was not substantiated." Muscat said Busuttil had implied that he had politically interfered so the police does not proceed against Dalli. "The criminal code says it's up to the Police Commissioner to decide whether a criminal action against an individual should be taken. No other official other than him. What Busuttil implied is serious and what he implied is an illegality according to the criminal code. When asked to substantiate his allegation, Busuttil failed to do so. On the contrary, he gave four different versions," Muscat said. The Prime Minister said he was open to any criticism, but at this stage he was defending his own and government's reputation. "Members of the House cannot just say whatever they like, undermining or attacking democracy, without substantiating it," he reiterated. Muscat said the committee was not about imposing or enforcing sanctions against Busuttill but to see that he either substantiates or withdraws what he has said. The Prime Minister said that if he were to use Busuttil's same logic, that he would deduce that the previous prime minister had interfered with Rizzo's investigation. "I am not making that allegation or that deduction. But by Busuttil's same logic, that would be a conclusion one can draw," he said, referring to a comment by Rizzo in which he told court that he had been "pressured by parliament". Asked whether he would publish the Attorney General's advice on the Dalli case, Muscat said it was not up to him to decide but to the AG's legal team. Chris Said pointed out that the government had however published the AG's advice on repealing citizenships. Muscat replied that in this case, there was a police investigation. The Opposition has already declared that, after taking the matter to the privileges committee, it would probably appeal any decision in the Constitutional Court. In a motion, it had presented, the Opposition held that the Prime Minister's request for a ruling equated to an attempt to "censure the right to freedom of political expression and consequently undermine parliamentary democracy." Truck overturns on Coast Road A driver was taken to hospital this afternoon after the truck he was driving skidded and overturned on the Coast Road, close to Salina. The incident occurred just after noon, yesterday. The man, a 51-yearold from Zejtun, had no passengers with him at the time of the incident. The truck, a Toyota Dyna, ended up on the rocks. Police said that the driver's condition was not yet known. Republic Street, Valletta next to the Courts