Repubblika reignites calls for Rosianne Cutajar's resignation

Repubblika is reiterating its calls for the resignation of Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar amid further revelations of her close relationship with Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech.

The civil society organisation is directly calling on Cutajar to resign from her post in Cabinet, while Prime Minister Robert Abela and Parliamentary Speaker Anġlu Farrugia must take steps to ensure her position is filled by a "suitable person in accordance to the law".

"It is evident from what has been reported in recent months that Rosianne Cutajar had a relationship with Yorgen Fenech which is unacceptable and incompatible with her role as a government minister. It is now also clear that her relationship with Yorgen Fenech also influenced Rosianne Cutajar's conduct as a Member of Parliament."

Repubblika mentioned that, in 2019, Cutajar objected to a resolution from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which mentioned Yorgen Fenech's company 17 Black in the context of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

"This was the only speech she made in the years she spent representing Maltese Parliament in Strasbourg. Her speech was made a few days away from the day Yorgen Fenech paid her for arranging him to buy a property in Mdina."

On 27 October 2020, Cutajar also voted against holding an inquiry into the Electrogas power station project.

"[She] was obliged to declare a conflict of interest due to her relationship with Yorgen Fenech, who was one of the founders and the Chief Executive of the company with Maltese shares in Electrogas."

"Rosianne Cutajar used her parliamentary vote to hide the truth about what Yorgen Fenech did and did so without declaring her intimate involvement with Yorgen Fenech."

Repubblika further remarked that the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life should consider these revelations as part of his inquiry into the unacceptable conduct of Rosianne Cutajar.