Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/820914
2 PN leader Simon Busuttil yes- terday in Birgu called on the Attorney General to publish all reports drawn up by the Finan- cial Intelligence Analysis Unit on alleged corruption by senior government officials. Busuttil hit out at AG Peter Grech for not taking action on a FIAU report that there was "reasonable suspicion" that kickbacks were paid over the sale of passports and that money was passed on between Nexia BT managing partner Brian Tonna and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri. Peter Grech also acts as the chairperson of the FIAU, which is prohibited by law from pub- lishing its investigations. He referred to a Sunday Times of Malta story, which reported that the FIAU had passed on a damning report to the po- lice commissioner back in May 2016, but that the police had not investigated it. However, Busuttil noted that former police commissioner Michael Cassar had resigned from the post on 27 April that year, 20 days before the FIAU forwarded its report to the po- lice. This, he said, was proof that the FIAU had conducted at least two investigations on top government officials in relation to the Panama Papers scandal. "Michael Cassar resigned be- cause he had received a FIAU report and was too scared to take action on it," he said. "How is it possible that Cassar received a report in April and resigned, when the report men- tioned by the Times was com- piled on 17 May? "It is a sign that there was a second FIAU report and that these people were investigated at least twice. I hereby call on the Attorney General to pub- lish all the FIAU reports in his possession now… now… NOW… in the national inter- est." 'Malta first and foremost' In his speech, Busuttil also used Dom Mintoff 's regu- lar 'Malta first and foremost' catchphrase in an attempt to woo Cottonera's traditional La- bour voters to jump ship to the PN in the election. "The government didn't build a single social housing unit in four years, and wasn't even able to upgrade the Birgu village square," he said. "Muscat has been using Cottonera residents for their votes for the past four years and he wants to continue doing so on 3 June. On 3 June, the choice is between Joseph Muscat and Malta, and Malta must be placed first and fore- most. I will choose Malta and I have no doubt that the people will do likewise." Marlene Farrugia: 'The enemy is within our walls' Partit Demokratiku leader Marlene Farrugia delivered a typically passionate speech, in which she compared Malta's current political situation with the Ottomans' assault of Fort St Angelo in 1565. "Back then, the people stood united behind the walls of Bir- gu to defeat the enemy, but now the enemy is within our walls… in the form of a clique that has sold our country." She said it is an honour to be contesting the election side by side with Busuttil as a "na- tional force", arguing that the time has come for the people to start placing national interests ahead of partisan ones. "To those Labourites whose parents were buried in the miz- bla all those years ago… your place is by my side, as part of this national force." maltatoday, MONDAY, 8 MAY 2017 News Simon Busuttil demands Attorney General publish all FIAU reports Simon Busutill: 'The FIAU investigated these people at least twice... for the sake of the national interest, the Attorney General must publish all these reports now' Marlene Farrugia: To those Labourites whose parents were buried in the mizbla all those years ago… your place is by my side, as part of this national force." PL challenges Busuttil over MEP's expenses 'scandal' PN retort 'it is a lie' STEFAN PAUL GALEA THE Labour Party has accused PN leader Simon Busuttil of hypocrisy in the wake of re- ports that Therese Comodini Cachia is misusing a portion of her personal MEP allowance to fork out the salary of PN strategist John Zammit. Addressing a news confer- ence at the PL headquarters, justice minister Owen Bon- nici said that this was the third known "scandal" involving the financing of the Nationalist Party – following the Cedoli (loans) scheme and allegations that the db Group paid the sal- aries of two of the party's sen- ior officials. He urged Busuttil to call for an investigation into the al- legations against Comodini Cachia, which he said could amount to a circumvention of the law regulating the financ- ing of political parties. Ian Borg, Parliamentary sec- retary for EU funds, accused the PN of hypocrisy in bas- ing its electoral campaign on combatting corruption. "It is very hypocritical of the PN to shout corruption and use 'I choose Malta' as its campaign slogan, when all it was doing is to tarnish Malta's good name." PL newspaper KullHadd re- ported yesterday that it is in possession of "official docu- mentation" that Zammit is registered as being employed with the PN's media arm Me- diaLink but that his monthly cheque is issued to him by Comodini Cachia – who will contest next month's election for the PN. According to EU rules, Euro- pean funds granted to MEPs "may not be used for the direct or indirect funding of other political parties". KullHadd said that John Zammit is one of Simon Busut- til's most trusted companions, and that he has been entrusted with writing the PN leader's speeches and official messages. "People who know Busuttil have told us that his political language became more ex- treme ever since he was elect- ed PN leader and brought John Zammit to his side," the pa- per reported. "Zammit is well known for his cruel, aggres- sive and envious tone when speaking about Labour politi- cians and supporters, and ex- Nationalists who have joined Joseph Muscat's movement." The paper also claims that he is "extremely close" to Daphne Caruana Galizia, described as a "Nationalist blogger". The PN dismissed the re- port as a lie cooked up by the Labour Party in an attempt to deviate public attention from ongoing government scandals. "John Zammit no longer works with the office of Ther- ese Comodini Cachia. During a period lasting 20 months, starting in July 2014 just after her election to the European Parliament, John Zammit was employed within the office of the MEP and completed his duties as stipulated in his contract as approved by the European Parliament," the PN said. "His contract lasted un- til February 2016, more than a year ago. This can be easily checked, but Labour keeps ly- ing," the PN charged. "The contract was public knowledge and fully transpar- ent, publicly listing all em- ployees not only through the audited accounts conducted voluntarily by the MEP but al- so on the website of the Euro- pean Parliament itself. Unlike Labour, the PN has nothing to hide." The PN also questioned why Joseph Muscat had only em- ployed one assistant during his tenure as MEP, why PL MEPs have not all published their au- dited accounts, and why previ- ous PL MEPs failed to publish their audited accounts. The accusations are about the employment of John Zammit by Therese Comodini Cachia 'Political expediency' charge THE Prime Minister's chief of staff yesterday described the news reportage by the Sunday Times of Malta of a report by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit as one smack- ing of political expediency. The report was referred to by Simon Busuttil in Birgu. Keith Schembri said he was amazed "at the detailed re- porting of an FIAU report al- legedly issued in my regard, since to date I have never been informed or otherwise made aware of the existence of any such report. Neither have I ever been questioned by any official of the FIAU nor been asked to provide any informa- tion to the Unit". Schembri pointed out it made no sense "that I would have participated in the activ- ities the alleged report refers to by making use of a personal bank account, registered in my name here in Malta and then further proceeding to make use of it for personal use by means of a credit card, thus making the existence of same account and funds known to all regulatory entities. "I do however note the tim- ing of the publication of this alleged report, falling right in the middle of an electoral campaign. The report itself, the methods, and strategies deployed in this regard all smack of political expedi- ency."