PN professionals forum in defence of Ann Fenech

The forum of professionals of the Nationalist Party has condemned “the mounting attacks” on PN executive committee president Ann Fenech, who was found to be a director in a legal firm with connections to Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

“This is a direct attack on the professional integrity of Ann Fenech and, as a consequence, undermines all professions that deliver services to their clients,” the forum said.

For the past days, the Labour Party has been calling on opposition leader Simon Busuttil to comment on the matter and to declare who is behind Timber Trading Capital Inc and Union Private Ltd. Fenlex Corporate Service Ltd, of whom Fenech is director, had registered the two companies in Panama on behalf of a client.

According to the forum, the two companies were incorporated in 2003 and 2004 respectively, whilst Fenech became director of Fenlex in 2005.

It also said that the client assisted by Fenlex to open a company in Panama “was not a politically exposed person”.

Fenech – who addressed a press conference calling for the resignation of the energy minister and the OPM’s chief of staff over their companies in Panama – has insisted that she doesn’t own any companies in Panama when questioned on her position.

The forum argued that such attacks were not becoming of a political party and that the government was harming the people’s trust in the political class.

The PN branch went on to add that such attacks were stopping “genuine professionals with integrity” from running for politics.

“Rather than launching itself into such attacks, the government should shoulder political responsibility for what Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri have done.”