‘Not one credible justification in Enemalta issue’ – Muscat

Labour leader Joseph Muscat pressed the advantage against the Nationalist Party in the wake of revelations earlier that same day that the Finance Ministry was informed in 2011 by the Security Services that Aikon, George Farrugia's company, was receiving commissions related to Enemalta oil-purchasing.

Muscat was speaking during the customary evening Labour tent event, which happened to be a special broadcast of current affairs programme Fis Sustanza, hosted by presenters Simone Cini and Robert Musumeci.

The Labour leader noted that since bursting open on Sunday, the quagmire revolving around invoices in the possession of the Finance Ministry as from 2011 which revealed evidence of oil-purchasing commissions had only deepened.

He insisted that despite this, the Nationalist Party has not yet come forward with solid or credible answers to assuage the public's concerns.

"What is the biggest concern to me is the knowledge that government already had some material it could investigate two years ago," Muscat said, noting the Finance Ministry's confirmation that it already had documents in hand since 2011.

He also called on Finance Minister Tonio Fenech to explain why, when presented with evidence that suggested that commissions were being paid on oil-purchasing, he opted to send them to the tax authorities for tax compliance investigations, instead of the police.

"I am of the understanding that the secret service alerted the ministry. I imagine that if the secret service pass on information to the ministry, the minister personally would be informed of it. However, it immediately became a bureaucratic investigation about tax. There is a lot to explain in this regard."

"Did the Finance Minister inform the Prime Minister that the secret service had handed over a file? Was the Prime Minister informed of this file before cabinet decided to hand down a presidential pardon?" Muscat asked. "These are the sort of questions which are now emerging."

"Was a tax compliance investigation - that is still not concluded today - the only step that could have been taken at the time?" Muscat also asked.

"I do not think that the finance ministry's actions were satisfactory, when one keeps in mind that this is the same ministry that is also responsible for Enemalta," the labour leader said, reiterating that the invoices suggested that commissions were being received on Enemalta oil transactions.

Asked whether he had any additional reason to ask such questions, Muscat assured the public that Labour has no aces up its sleeve.

"I have no information that might suggest why the Secret Service was involved in the issue. But surely he knot is becoming more convoluted."

"What is sure is that people understand what is happening. They understand that there were people who knew what is happening, and chose to look the other way," Muscat maintained.

Muscat also noted that reports by Maltatoday that disproved claims by the finance ministry that commodities agent George Farrugia was somehow linked to Aikon Limited, and how the ministry claimed that this was because the invoices that were referred to the Tax Compiance Unit referred to other years, such as 2004 when Farugia's name did not appear on the company paperwork.

"This is a bit of a weak excuse," Muscat said, "given how the Malta Financial Services Authority's documents indicate that the names were clear."

"Again, it is time for some clarity on the situation. I have no yet one credible justification regarding the whole issue," Muscat said."

"All I have seen so far is speculation, senseless attacks on the independent media by Austin Gatt, more speculation regarding a frame up by the Labour Party, and a situation where, in truth, people are not getting an answer to their questions."

Muscat also referred to an early-morning trip abroad the Gozo ferry that same day, saying that he opted to brave the channel in the wee hours because "I wanted to experience what thousands of Gozitans go through. I wanted to speak to them and experience the extra effort that Gozitan people how have to cross over on a daily basis."

He said the trip reaffirmed his conviction that a future government needs to create more work in Gozo, and reiterated several of the Labour Party's proposals aimed towards generating employment in Malta's sister island.

Muscat also answered questions regarding Labour's strong showing during the University Insite debate last week, as well as during Muscat's own visits at 6^th forms around the island.

He conceded that, in the past, Labour had trouble communicating with younger people, and said that instead of admitting its mistakes and learning from them, it chose to blame younger generations instead.

"That is exactly what the Nationalist Party is doing today when they say that the youth have an agenda, or that they are party puppets. What we used to do wrong, the PN is doing today," Muscat said.

He said that Labour had re-invented its approach so that younger people are "not only listened to, but are brought on board and invited to take the helm on issues that matter to them."

The Labour leader insisted that "the nerve centres of this movement is in the hands of the youth" adding that many of its grass roots activists are young people. "We trust them to lead."

True to form for the Labour campaign, Muscat also took the time to reiterate the days' message - themed on tourism - emphasising the need for Malta to diversify its touristic product and render itself as attractive as possible to foreign holidaymakers.

In a light-hearted aside, Muscat also affirmed Labour's appreciation for animals and said that a Labour government would work towards improving the state of animal rights in Malta.

"The same goes for animals. Even if they can't vote, Malta belongs to them as well" (Malta taghhom ukoll), Muscat quipped as the audience clapped appreciatively.

Muscat also reiterated Labour's commitment to, if elected to power, introduce a Party Financing Law, and the Whistleblowers' Act before the summer recess.