Updated | Gonzi, Muscat trade blows over ‘Austin’ emails

The Office of the Prime Minister has lambasted a "partisan" commentary by Labour leader Joseph Muscat, who has called on Lawrence Gonzi to shed light on the proximity of oil trader George Farrugia to the political class.

Muscat was referring to reports in the Sunday Times that shows that Farrugia, who has been recommended for a presidential pardon so that he turns State's witness, had meetings with transport minister Austin Gatt and that this was also known to commodities firm Trafigura, whom Farrugia represented in Malta.

Trafigura is believed to have paid commissions to government officials like Frank Sammut, a former chief executive of MOBC and a consultant to Enemalta, for the supply of oil to Enemalta.

"Muscat's was a partisan speech," the OPM said in a statement. "It was a speech that does not aid the fight against corruption. The government is fighting corruption concretely and has decided to give a pardon [to George Farrugia].

"This government expects that if Muscat has information on the case, he should apss it on to the police for investigation - that is how corruption is fought."

On its part, Labour said the statement by "Gonzi's caretaker government" was an insult to the public's intelligence.

"Instead of taking action or giving some form of explanation after a key minister was mentioned in email correspondence between an oil trader who has been given a presidential pardon, and a major commodities firm, Gonzi has chosen to attack Joseph Muscat," the PL said in a statement.

"Gonzi today avoided talking about the pardon and the latest developments in which Austin Gatt has been mentioned. Some of these emails published have used the initials A.G. and 'Aust'. Instead of hiding, Gonzi should answer for the actions of his minister when he was responsible for Enemalta, and for his political appointees who took the decision to buy €1 million worth of oil every day, and on which commissions were paid."