Update 2 | 'Opposition trying to gag me from revealing extent of scandal’ – Energy Minister

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi has accused the Opposition of trying "to gag" him from revealing the extent of electricity theft from state corporation Enemalta.

This evening's parliament meeting was yet another sitting characterized by shouting and constant interruptions as call for point of orders were made. Mizzi complained that he was at least interrupted eight times without the Opposition giving him enough time to say what he had to say.

Matters worsened when two Opposition MPs said they would 'name' Mizzi - naming an MP is the process through which the Speaker or one of his deputies proposes a vote on the suspension of a member of the House if the Speaker believes that the MP breached the rules of conduct of the House.

Mizzi had just updated parliament on the discovery of 665 files that had been "locked away in a room", when the Opposition insisted that Mizzi should be clear in his wording.

Former finance minister Tonio Fenech, former resources minister George Pullicino and PN deputy leader Mario de Marco, one after the other, called on the minister to substantiate his "allegations or withdraw them".

"If the minister knows that there was a political direction for the files to be stowed away, then he should say it. I can assure him there wasn't any. But he either substantiates or withdraws his allegations," Fenech insisted.

Expressing his "astonishment" with the Opposition's reaction, Mizzi said he was not going to withdraw anything: "You have no shame. The theft exploded under your watch. Under your [PN] administration Enemalta went bankrupt. Tariffs exploded. Yes, you should be ashamed."

He added that the files - opened because the theft had been registered - showed that the previous government knew about the theft but did not take any action.

But the minister reiterated he stood by what he said. At one point, Mizzi said he could not understand how the matter did not carry political responsibility.

Addressing the House at 9:27pm, the deputy Speaker said he would give his final ruling tomorrow.

Galea said Mizzi was referring to political responsibility, but at one stage he said "you threw them [the files] away". This comment prompted the Opposition's intervention.

The deputy speaker said he would provide the two sides of the House with a copy of the transcript, urging Mizzi to clarify what he meant to say tomorrow evening.

"We are on the right side. I have nothing to be ashamed of. But I was interrupted eight times and if they want to gag me, it's their choice. But I stand resolved on the issue. We acted as a government that is tackling various scandals. And I don't think the Opposition should have attacked me in that way," Mizzi said.

The two sides will now read the transcripts, decide on their position and the Speaker will then give his ruling.

In a further bid to calm the situation, Mario de Marco said the Opposition did not want to suspend anyone from parliament: "We are simply calling for an honest debate. We are with government in seeing that anyone responsible for a wrongdoing is investigated."

As the three Nationalist MPs condemned the theft of electricity, they lambasted government for its decision not to take action against the acts of bribery. They said they condemned the putting away of the 665 files and urged the government to investigate the matter in depth and arraign any Enemalta officials found to have been involved.

Officials who should have ensured that the monies should have been recovered but failed to do so should also be questioned, they said.

Fenech said he welcomed that a whistleblower had spoken up on the issue. "We are not here to defend theft and corruption and parliament must be united against these actions. Because, contrary to the allegations being made, we fight corruption," he said.

Fenech accused Mizzi of "shifting the blame on to the politicians, hiding who had effectively bribed and stole".

As they asked whether Enemalta officials had been questioned, the three turned their guns on former Enemalta chairman Louis Giordimaina.

George Pullicino asked whether Giordimaina had any knowledge of the matter "since he was one of the few chairmen to be retained by the Labour administration, and now promoted to AirMalta CEO".

Giordimaina was appointed chairman of Enemalta in 2011, whereas the cases date back to between 2006 and 2011.