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Lawrence Gonzi: ‘Minister’s Swiss bank account was declared before 2005’
Prime Minister says Swiss bank account that minister did not include in parliamentary declaration of assets, had been declared back in 2005.
15 February 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has stood by statements made by Austin Gatt (Photo: DOI).
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has stood by statements by transport minister Austin Gatt yesterday, in which he denied having discussed any oil tenders with trader George Farrugia, who has turned State's witness in a police investigation on alleged kickbacks paid by Trafigura to an Enemalta and MOBC consultant.
"I think his explanation was clear enough and I have nothing to add," Gonzi also said about Gatt's claims that a manipulated version of the Farrugia email published by MaltaToday, had been the work of the Labour Party.
Gonzi said that he was not aware of the fact that Gatt had a Swiss bank account which had not been declared in his parliamentary declaration of assets.
"Gatt has explained this matter - he inherited the bank account from his father, and he will be verifying any of the statements he made," the Prime Minister said, referring to Gatt's declaration yesterday that he would furnish the Commissioner of Police with details of his account.
As it turns out, both former MOBC chief Frank Sammut and Aikon director George Farrugia had bank accounts registered in Switzerland; Trafigura paid Sammut a "commission" during his time as consultant to Enemalta/MOBC chairman Tancred Tabone in 2004, for the supply of oil to Enemalta.
"Austin had already declared this bank account before 2005," Gonzi added, a detail which did not emerge in a press conference held by Gatt on Thursday afternoon.
"However, I should add that Joseph Muscat should take responsibility for the fact that Labour, even in Opposition, seeks out Labourite police officers in a bid to quash criminal action against party club members. This is a scandal and Muscat should take responsibility," Gonzi said, referring to a secret recording in which Labour deputy leader Toni Abela is heard saying he had asked a police officer at the Birkirkara police station to drop a police report filed by a former barman at the PL's club in Attard.
"I am waiting for Muscat to take responsibility for his deputy leader's actions. I cannot understand how [former deputy leader] Anglu Farrugia can be politically assassinated while someone who commits such a grave action, can be let off the hook."
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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Jista l-Onor Prim Ministru jgħidilna u jippruvalna li dak li qed jgħid hu minnu għax jien għandi dubju kif kien isir dak li qed jgħid . Skont Dr.Austin Gatt , il-mama tiegħu mietet 7 snin ilu . Jekk tmur lura 7 snin mis-sena 2012 tasal fis-sena 2005 . Jista xi ħadd jispjegali fik tista tiddikjara xi ħaġa li f'dan il-kas hu kont bankarju meta tkun għadek lanqas iwrittu . Issa kulħadd jaf kemm jieħdu zmien biex isiru id-denunzji u riċerki meħtieġa speċjalment fuq kontijiet bankarji barra min Malta .
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You know people of Malta? Indeed, Dr Austin Gatt is a very honest man and politician worth every word coming out of his mouth. Please note that as soon as he replied "iva", admiting his Swiss Account, he went straight home to check when was it last he "declared" the account he "inheritted" from his mother. And by God, he realised he did so "up to 2005". But Dr Gatt is so honest that on his cousin's talk show he admitted his "wrong doing". Go tell to the marines, Dr Gatt!! Since when bank accounts are inheritted? You knew that saying "no" to the journalist who asked you about your Swiss Account would make things even worse!! Tista titnejjek bin-nies ghall xi zmien imma ma' tista titnejjek bil-poplu il-hin kollu!! I am sure you know who said so?!
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I am sorry to ask? But which Bank Account in Switzerland are we talking about? And which Minister are we referring to? MALTATODAY please investigate.
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Ok, fine. So let me understand. The PM says that AG declared his Swiss account before 2005. And after? Has the Department of Inland Revenue chased him? Has he receive the tax bill plus the fine that should have been imposed? And if AG has not declared his Swiss account in the declaration of assets to Parliament since 2005, then what measures have been taken against the minister? And one final question. What happens if next year and in the years to come I forget to declare my income? Will I get the same treatment as the minister? Will I be fined? Or is it a case of two weights and two measures?
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Then why wasn't it declared in the last 8 years? Austin Gatt says that he has "made a mistake". More like 8 mistakes, it seems. Why?
Luke Camilleri •
Imma dan ir-ragel bis-serjeta?
X'"hold" ghandhu Aust fuq Lawrence Gonzi?
Qieghed ikun aktar PATETIKU mis-soltu Dr. Gonzi jiprova juggustifika l'agir ta' A.G...... u jghereq mieghu fil-hama qieghed!
PATETIKU u bla kredibilita!
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Jien ma jinterressanix fuq il-katnazz Dr Gonzi ! Jien ghidli kemm sraqtulil flus minn wara dahri ghall-korruzzjoni li saret ghax dawk irridhom lura ! Dawk mhux hallasthom izda sraqtuhomli f'commissions wara li hallejt lil kullhadd jaghmel li jrid ! Jekk qbadt fuq il-katnazz ta' Dr Toni Abela, mela vera m'ghandekx xi tghid fuq il-programm elettorali tieghek ! X'misthija tiggieled elezzjoni generali fuq katnazz !
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THE DAY WHEN THE PEOPLE OF MALTA AND GOZO WILL BE JUDGE AND JURY IS FAST APPROACHING AND THERE IS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE VERDICT - GUILTY AS CHARGED. GUILTY OF CORRUPTION, GUILTY OF LYING TO THE PUBLIC, GUILTY OF ABUSE OF POWER, GUILTY OF ABSOLUTE ARROGANCE. THAT IS THE FATE AWAITING GONZIPN.
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WHAT LABOURITE POLICE OFFICERS? THEY HAVE BEEN FILTERED OUT SO CAREFULLY OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS THAT YOU WOULD NEED A PIN IN A HAYSTACK TO FIND ONE LABOURITE POLICE OFFICER WHO JOINED THE FORCE AFTER 1987, AND MOST OF THE ONES THAT JOINED BEFORE HAVE BEEN TREATED SO MANIFESTLY BADLY THAT AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY THEY LEFT THE FORCE.
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With all due to your respect Dr Gonzi. I have been noticing Dr Gatt putting on weight since 2004. Maybe his Swiss Account did just the same on 2005?.....u Aust hbieb ghax ma' kienx jidher sabih quddiem il-pubbliku? Think about it Dr Gonzi. Think about it.
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I am sorry but your credibility and Dr Gatt`s are simply non redeemable.For the remaining weeks your statements are going to be taken simply with a pinch of salt. The glaring fact remains that the biggest oil corruption scandal this country experienced happened under you watch for years and you want us to believe that no-body in your administration including Dr Gatt and yourself had even an inkling of it.....MILLIONS OF EURO`S PASSING UNDER YOUR VERY NOSES WHILE PENSIONERS SCRAPE A LIVING.......POLITICAL IMMORALITY AT ITS BEST
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Vera kaz li m'ghandhomx ma' xhiex jaqbdu. L-attentat pwerili tal-Prim Ministru u tal-partit tieghu biex ihammgu lill-Mexxej Laburista u dirigenti ohra tal-Partit Laburista juri bic-car li l-Partit Nazzjonalista m'ghandux x'joffri lill-elettoral Malti.
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Swiss bank accounts attract negative rates of interest, hardly an investment! Their primary function is hide illicit financial gains.
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Dr.Gonzi said that he was not aware that Minister Austin Gatt had a Swiss bank account . Could it be that Dr.Gonzi was kept in the dark about the meetings that Minister Austin Gatt had with George Farrugia and Frank Sammut . With his declaration Gonzi had put humself in a position that can be interpreted in many ways . Does he (Gonzi) have something to hide from the public and if it is exposed could damage his political carrier ? Did he knew about the posibility that there was something going on ? Or maybe he did knew what was going on and wanted to keep things quite from the public eyes . So many questions need to be answered by the Prime Minister .
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.... thares lejn gonzi, austin gatt, tonio fenech, simon busuttil, clyde puli, joseph cassar .... kollha kemm huma ....... hlief harsiet iddisprati, ghajjenin, nuqqas ta' hegga, moffa, dwejjaq, letargija, ucuh imqarrsin, qrusa, nervi, tahwid, tgerfix, tghajjir ....... ma tarax u ma tismax ..... imma ghall-grazzja t'alla issa baqa' biss tlett gimghat ohra u dawk il-figuri skaduti ninsewhom darba ghal dejjem u nibdew narawhom biss fuq in-net, jitghajjru u jitmashnu ghax il-poplu ma fehmhomx u ghax ma rnexxilhomx iwasslu l-messagg sew lin-nies tant kienu mhabbtin ...... imma l-importanti li l-maggoranza l-kbira tal-maltin tkun liberata minn dan l-inkunu kbir li jismu gonzipn li kisser pajjiz u gabu ghar-rkubbtejh moralment f'temp qasir ta' hames snin .....
Lawrence Covin •
Tajba, Gonz! Mela: 1) Iddikjarah meta kien ta' ommu imma mhux meta sar tieghu u 2) ghax iddikjarah fit-2005 (biss) dnubietu mahfura. Nistghu naghmlu bhalu, please?
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U ejjew! Se naw du mat-tibia ghax waqjna ghax-can't u Ma sibniex it-Travu li Monty herqana u Scutari li ssibu!
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so many contradictions from Gonzi and Gatt first Gonzi says he did declare in 2005 then says he did not know about it? Gonz says Gatt inherited it from his father, yet gatt said his mother, Also Gonzi can you tell us why PMB was kept in her position over what she did to the LP MP JC and also in this case it was intervened. What is the difference with this and what Toni did. You did not make PMB resign, Then again who ever resigns in the PN.
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If the account was declared in 2005, it should have been declared each and every year. Moreover how come AG then proceded to forget to declare it the following and each and every subsequent year?
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one has also to see if Gatt's son has a swiss bank account as we all know that Gatt is not a stupid and they say his son is a millionere
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mela bank account tirtu?? Safejn naf jien, meta jmut xi hadd, il-flus tal-kont jintirtu mill-werrieta u l-kont jinghalaq.
Rita Pizzuto •
Gonzi PN seem to be suffering from dimentia. If prof is needed, AG Aust has given it to us. When he was speaking in front of journalist on Thursday he did not know if he had declared his Swiss Bank Account. Now Gonzi says he has declared it. Who knows? Gonzi says it was scandalous of Joseph Muscat not to take responsibility of some minor sin (if ever) and an internal matter committed by Toni Abela. Can Gonzi, with hand on heart - and all his ministers at that say if they ever talked to the police to intervene in a LEGAL MATTER? ANother dementia proof was given us by one of Gonzi's accolades at PBS. He said he does not know of Fenech Adami's action years ago, before he became PM when after ordering his cohorts to skip a day from work and join him at the Mnarja farce at Ghadira, on the way back from that XALATA, when somebody from his carcade contravened the law, and was stopped by the police, he interevened, and told his supporters to move on as he was dealing with the situation. Portelli this morning on PBS, and others seem to forget (again dementia) what eFA told his supporters and the police: SUQ, HAWN JIEN! This was splashed out on the newspapers, but Pierre does not even remember that.
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Kemm ghandna Prim Ministru vojt. Ghand jkun qed jahsibna boloh u se jghaddina biz-zmien.
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In one of the several SMS messages that PN Council President and PN candidate Paula Mifsud Bonnici sent to PL MP Dr Justyne Caruana, she warns the Gozitan MP to “watch out and watch your back” and that her “future husband will manage to put some sense in your mind”. can you please explan this please Dr Gonzi
