Letter to Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans

Today, the PN Head of Delegation David Casa MEP sent an open letter to First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans about the impending political situation in Malta. You may find a scanned copy in attachment or the text below.

Dear Vice-President Timmermans, 

On the 4th of July during an exchange of views at the EPP group meeting your attention was drawn to the situation in Malta concerning the rule of law. 

Following the revelations in the Panama Papers and leaked FIAU reports it has become clear that the Prime Minister, his chief of staff Keith Schembri and Minister Konrad Mizzi implemented a complex scheme of corruption and money laundering immediately after taking office in 2013.

Despite FIAU reports requesting the police to act, no action has been taken so far. A FIAU employee, that was recently dismissed claimed that he was removed from Malta’s Anti-Money Laundering Agency for ‘digging too deep’ and that FIAU reports were not so much as registered by the police as is normal practice in such cases. 

A number of magisterial criminal investigations are ongoing. This is not the normal process. Magistrates had to be resorted to by the Opposition because the police and the attorney general ignored the recommendations of the FIAU.

Now Keith Schembri, who remains the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and one of the people implicated in corruption and money laundering by these FIAU reports has requested the same police to investigate leader of the opposition Simon Busuttil for presenting false evidence. This when the evidence in question results from the Panama Papers and FIAU reports and is public knowledge. This is clearly an abuse of power and an act intended to intimidate those who speak out against corruption. 

The allegations being made are completely unfounded. This state of affairs is unprecedented in Malta and is the first time that the Leader of the Opposition is being arraigned. 

On the 4th July you claimed that you were not aware of the facts of this case. While I hope that you might already be more knowledgeable now, I ask that you revisit the issue especially in view of the latest developments and that the European Commission takes action to protect the rule of law and democracy in Malta. 

Yours sincerely, 

David Casa MEP

PN Head of Delegation 

EPP Group EMPL Coordinator