Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/770367
13 PANAMA PAPERS maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 JANUARY 2017 e Department of Justice within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government is receiving expression of interest for the following to serve as court experts: 1. Medical Specialities a) Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine; b) Dermatology and Venereology; c) General/Internal Medicine; d) Gynaecology; e) Histology; f ) Maxillo-facial Surgery; g) Medico-legal forensics; h) Occupational Medicine; i) Ophtalmology; j) Orthodontics; k) Orthopaedics; l) Paediatrics; m) Pathology; n) Plastic Surgery; o) Psychiatry; p) Surgery; q) Toxicology, and, r) Veterinary Services. 2. Scientific Specialities a) Archeologists; b) Architects, Civil Engineers and Geologists; c) Arson experts; d) Art appreciation and restoration experts; e) Calligraphy; f ) Data engineers; g) Electronics; h) Engineers: Electrical/Chemical/Civil/Mechanical; i) Explosives; j) Industrial Chemists; k) Marine Biologists, and, l) Telecommunications Engineers. 3. Technical a) Carpentry; b) Electrical/Plumbing; c Goldsmiths/Silversmiths/Gemologists; d) Mechanical; e) Panel-beating, and, f ) Spray-painting. 4. Computers and Information Technology a) Computer forensic; b) Counterfeit examination, and, c) Questioned document examination. 5. Financial a) Accounting; b) Auditing; c) Computer Analysis/Programmers/Data Security, and, d) Digital Forensic Experts. 6. Education, Sociology and Mental Health a) Psychology and/or Psychotherapy (i) Child; (ii) Drug and alcohol abuse, and, (iii) Educational. b Sociology. 7. Forensic a) Ballistics/Weapons; b) Crime Scene Management; c) DNA; d) Fibre tappings; e) Fingerprint experts; f ) Haematology; g) Medical Forensic; h) Paint examination; i) Pyrotechniques; j) Serology (blood and other corporal fluids); k) Video and Photography Technology. 8. Traffic a) Traffic Collisions. Expressions of interest must be received by the 31st January, 2017 and must include the following: (a) Motivational Letter in own handwriting and including a clear indication of their area of expertise; (b) Europass Curriculum Vitae, and, (c) A recent police conduct certificate. Expressions of interest are to be addressed to: e Officer in Charge Court Experts Unit Dept of Justice (Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Govt) 21 Archbishop Street Valletta VLT 1443 focus on Malta: Two confidence motions filed against Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, both defeated, but no discussion at committee level analyzing effects of Panama Papers on tax laws or tax avoidance Netherlands: MPs proposed to hold a "parliamentary interrogation" related to the Panama papers Belgium: In April 2016 MPs made a proposal to establish a parliamentary investigative commission to update the recommendations in the fight against the largest tax fraud in the light of major fraud cases uncovered including Panama papers. A special commission was established on 3 May, 2016. The Committee meets weekly and has already interviewed representatives from a range of stakeholders, such as banks, the press, the government controls (including the national bank and the authority of financial services and markets authority), etc. Finland: Panama papers issues have been debated in the plenary twice in April on the initiative of the Green Party. The Audit Committee and the Finance Committee and the Commerce Committee, held a hearing in May 2016 on 'Tax havens, tax evasion and international tax avoidance'. Cyprus: The Cypriot Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) discussed the topic during two sessions at end June 2016. Germany: In June a debate on Panama papers took place in the Finance Committee of the Bundestag, and both the Ministry of Finance and the Länder said they would be examining measures as a consequence of the Panama leaks. This would include widening the disclosure obligations of taxpayers and credit institutions and examining whether the Fiscal Code on Protection of bank customers should be repealed. Slovenia: the Committee for Finance and Monetary Policy and the Committee for Justice following the Panama papers revelations discussed the issue of tax havens. They adopted conclusions that call for scrutinising State companies having bank accounts abroad; submission of a report on tax havens and amendments to the Act on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism in order to introduce a register of the real company owners and make it publicly accessible. Italy: draft law approved on the ratification and implementation of the Convention between Panama and Italy to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion. Lithuania: Chairman of the Bank of Lithuania invited to answer questions related to his previous professional activities linked to persons mentioned in the Panama papers and in particular to businesses close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Romania: the Committee for Budget, Finance and Banks organised a hearing with the heads of the National Office for Prevention and Fight against Money Laundering and of the National Agency for Tax Administration in early April. Further during the Plenary both authorities were criticized for the lack of communication. It also discussed the establishment of an additional tax for offshore transactions. The Minister of Public Finances was asked to present measures taken to fight tax evasion in a Parliamentary request. Sweden: Riksdag debated international tax evasion and the behaviour of Swedish banks. Spain: Parliament proposed 17 initiatives related directly to the "Panama Papers". Only the Non-legislative proposal on tax reform and fight against tax fraud and tax evasion was approved on 19 April, 2016, which includes creating a Special investigative Committee on the Panama Papers. UK: Parliament published a report concluding that the UK's tax collection authority is not doing enough to tackle tax fraud. Established a cross-government taskforce on the Panama papers case, and assigned initial new funding of up to £10 million to support the taskforce's work. The taskforce will be jointly led by the tax collection authorities and the National Crime Agency and draws on investigators, compliance specialists and analysts from tax authorities, the National Crime Agency, the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Conduct Authority. Hungary: Announced formation of special teams to examine the Panama leaks. The police and the National Tax Authority will be involved in analyzing any information that has emerged from the leak with relevance to Hungarian taxpayers. Hungary's Prosecutor's Office would also take part in the investigations. Denmark: Following a hearing in the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) in April 2016 on the Panama Papers and subsequent consultation with all political parties, the Danish Minister for Taxation announced on 7 September, 2016 his decision to buy data leaked as a measure to catch tax evaders. An anonymous offer to sell data on some 320 cases, involving approximately 500-600 Danish citizens was made to Denmark's tax authorities over the summer. Panama reactions: EU national parliaments to be facing an investigation by the tax authorities over possible tax evasion linked to the Pana- ma Papers. According to Inland Revenue Commissioner Marvin Gaerty, "limited resources" have made it impossible to audit all individuals at the same time, he had told The Sunday Times. The tax audits will determine whether a person had declared the correct income in their tax returns. The Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri, was found to have a similar offshore set-up as Mizzi, which they established through their financial advisers Nexia BT, a representative of Mossack Fonseca. According to the correspond- ence between Nexia and Mos- sack Fonseca revealed by the ICIJ and the Australian Financial Re- view, the offshore companies and a corresponding bank account, were required for potential busi- ness earnings. A preparatory document for MEPs of the Panama Papers committee of inquiry has suggested that its focus be on the alleged failure of the European Commission to enforce anti-money laundering rules