Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/788859
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2017 3 ever, because of the need to ensure that we observe our legal obliga- tions, we advised that we consid- ered it appropriate to receive and to reply to questions put to us in writing. "We therefore invited the Com- mittee to consider putting their questions to us in such manner and we committed to make ourselves available to provide our replies. We received the questions from the Committee [on Saturday] and we are now working on our answers." MaltaToday has been summoned to attend one of the hearings with journalists, which also include the Times of Malta and blogger Daph- ne Caruana Galizia, who broke the story ahead of the International Consortium for Investigative Jour- nalism (ICIJ). The international body had been working on the leaks of some 11.5 million documents over the course of 2015 and 2016. Amongst these leaks were the companies of Mizzi and Schem- bri, acquired in June 2015 from a Mossack Fonseca-related firm, ATC Administrators. Hearnville and Tillgate had originally been set up in June 2013 by two other MF- related companies, Dubro SA and Aliator SA, which have ownership of various other similar shelf com- panies. The companies were acquired by Mizzi and Schembri and their ownership vested in trustees con- trolling offshore trusts in New Zealand, respectively Rotorua and Haast. The revelations shook the Labour government, and the PN led two anti-corruption protests in Valletta, demanding that Mizzi and Schembri be sacked from the gov- ernment. Muscat retained Schem- bri by his side, and cosmetically de- moted Mizzi as a minister without portfolio, who however retains re- sponsibility for energy affairs even now during the presidency of the European Council. News support fatally injuring an elderly female pe- destrian who crossed the road from behind a bus in 2010. In March last year, a bus driver who ran a red light and permanent- ly disfigured a young woman in Mo- sta got off with a fine and a licence suspension. The issue of pedestrian responsi- bility was also raised last October, with a court apportioning some blame on pedestrians who fail to use designated crossing points. In that case, Magistrate Joe Mifsud had called for sanctions on careless pedestrians. "While we have sanc- tions, and rightly so, for drivers who breach traffic regulations, the time has come for pedestrians who disre- gard the dangers and create unnec- essary emergencies, by crossing on red lights or from unsafe crossing points, to answer for their actions." Tomorrow a delegation of the European Parliament's inquiry committee on money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasion will meet, amongst others, ministers Edward Scicluna and Konrad Mizzi, as well as Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami. The committee has also submitted a set of written questions to Nexia BT, of which the Green Group in the European Parliament has publicised those questions. "It is welcome that Konrad Mizzi has today finally assured his participation. Unfortunately, the confirmation of Mr Keith Schembri is still missing. A no-show would be a serious disrespect towards European democracy, in particular during the Maltese presidency of the Council," Green MEP Sven Giegold said in a statement this week. "It is unfortunate that Brian Tonna and Nexia BT have so far refused their appearance. The committee will discuss at a later stage which consequences we draw from this failure to appear. In any case we expect complete and honest answers to our written questions." Amongst the questions for Nexia BT, are requests to know why information on Egrant was communicated by Skype when details of Schembri's and Mizzi's beneficial ownership was communicated by email; who the beneficial owner of Egrant is; whether Nexia or its clients are under investigation; how many suspicious transaction reports (STRs) did it file with the FIAU since 2000; about its involvement in the gaming industry; and whether Brian Tonna has a "desk" inside the Office of the Prime Minister. Nexia are also being asked to explain the structure created for Mizzi and Schembri, why they chose overseas trusts, what due diligence was carried out for the PEPs, whether they had backdated documents for the set-up of the Panama offshore companies, and whether it was customary for Nexia to provide letters of comfort for clients to be certified as trusted persons. PANA committee holds meetings in Malta tomorrow German MEP Sven Giegold Anthony Taliana stands accused of the involuntary homicide of cyclist Clifford Micallef on the Coast Road in July 2009 but has claimed he suffered a breach of his human rights during his interrogation by the police