AD requests audit of government’s amnesty scheme

Alternattiva Demokrattika chairman Arnold Cassola and deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo have met up with the Auditor General to request his examination into how the Central Bank and its agents handled the government’s amnesty scheme.

The 2014 Investment Registration Scheme enabled former PN Minister Ninu Zammit to regularise $3.2 million in undeclared cash that he had held at HSBC Geneva. 

“We are preoccupied as to whether and to what extent verification of the origin of the registered assets was carried out,” AD said in a statement.

“In particular, we requested the Auditor General to carry out an investigation into the operation of the scheme, such that it be ascertained that the Central Bank of Malta and its agents properly verified the source of the registered investments.” 

On Monday, the French authorities passed on the list of Maltese holders of Swiss bank accounts to the local authorities. 

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said that the government will publish the names of the politically exposed people on the Swissleaks list. 
“Even as Prime Minister, I don’t have access to the information but I can ask the Tax Commissioner to pass on the names of any politically exposed people,” Muscat said. “Any such names on the list will be asked to resign their post.”