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Government ‘jumped the gun’ on Delimara infringement notice – EC official
European Commission official says Maltese government ‘jumped the gun’ in announcing closure of infringement procedures on Delimara procurement.
30 November 2010, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
The Maltese government appears to have “jumped the gun” in announcing last Saturday that the European Commission will be closing its infringement procedures on the Delimara power station extension procurement, according to a highly-placed European Commission official.
Speaking to MaltaToday from Brussels, a senior official within Commissioner Michel Barnier’s cabinet said that “the contacts were informal and at DG level, so we don’t know how such a statement was made.”
The official was referring to the government’s announcement last Saturday that Barnier would be moving the closure of infringement procedures to the College of Commissioners for finalisation.
The official said: “There may have been informal contacts at that level, and some talk about the Commission being satisfied with the replies given by the Maltese government, but there still are several hoops to go through which will not be over before mid next year. It looks like the government has jumped the gun.”
“A final decision will eventually be taken within the College of Commissioners, and as far as this office is concerned, the Malta matter is still being dealt with.”
The EC was investigating whether the Maltese government’s change in emission laws at the last minute had favoured BWSC, the winning tenderer, over Israeli tenderer Bateman’s cheaper gas technology.
The European Commission’s official’s statement comes in clear contrast to last Saturday’s Department of Information statement, which categorically stated that “after conducting a thorough analysis the European Commission found no violation of EU rules and the Commission will formally propose to the College of Commissioners that these infringement proceedings against Malta be closed.”
Alfred Galea •
Windy, I'll tell you again, what Muscat does and how he does it doesn't affect you....you should be worried about the financial mess you guys are in and how much worse will you be in another two years AND God help you if these incompetent, corrupt clowns are voted back in.
Now you can gasbag all you want about the PL and its media and Forrest Gump, it will not help you pay your bills now or in the future.
Your party LIED and Joseph reacted to that lie. In the end Joseph was Forrest Gump and you leader was Pinocchio....take a guess which one is worse.
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QUOTE:the problem is how the Maltese government has "jumped the gun" - by saying things which were not true - no less and no more.
COMMENT: Mr.Mifsud, with all due respect, we discussed how the incompetency of the PL media swallowed the bait cast by Castille and spent all day Sunday finding excuses to defend their point.
Any serious media would have checked with Brussels.
Mark Fenech •
The subject is totally different from what fommirrih and some others are discussing.
the problem is how the Maltese government has "jumped the gun" - by saying things which were not true - no less and no more.
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Like I said before Mr. Mouth of the South, your logic and your imagination qualifies you as an ardent brainwashed or for that matter brain damaged FORREST GUMP disciple.
In case you have not yet realised, finally someone discovered how poorly the PL media is being run and I suggest you should be happy that Evarist Bartolo has been given more responsability in the party's media.
Rest assured I am neither interested in any hand outs from JM or the PL and if truth be told I supported the idea of JM, first for election as an MEP and then as Labour Leader, but when one learns of the coup constructed to loose the election and with great disrespect to replace a sick leader and now his fraudulent actions took the party off the tracks somebody has to speak up so that someone like you can look forward for party favours. .
Micheal Bonanno •
Windbag. From your arguments one can deduce that you had lost the leadership race, or your horse did! By the way you're trying to ridicule the PL, the more reason to believe that you were either promised something big, once your horse won the leadership race, or else sour grapes! But one thing is for certain, by trying to depict yourself as a PL lover, or shall we ex-pl lover, you're ridiculing yourself! Keep it up and continue to vent your frustration! At least you'll make us laugh in this time of need!
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De-programming the brainwashed and educating the brain damaged.
By your kind of immature logic Mr. Mouth of the South, then they should abolish Parliament and do away with the opposition, because according to your mentality the opposition actions do not affect us.
I wonder what Mr. Mintoff and all those brave laborites of the fifties and sixties will say to that.
Grow up for God's sake and accept the fact that the Maltese Labour Party has humiliated itself by electing this fraudulent leadership that couldn't punch itself out of a paper bag or as I suspect are in collusion with this administration for their own self serving gains.
So they decided to promote a horrendous emblem whish we would like to know how much it cost to design such lame brain mediocrity.
They declare themselves progressive and moderate at a time when Europe is boiling with pension, education reforms and the working class seeing their conditions deteriorate.
Why don't you at least show some respect to those old laborites like Mr. Mintoff still living who has suffered so much injustice and discrimination and don't be afraid to stand up and be counted by declaring this leadership representing the politics of betrayal to the Labour beliefs and what it stands for.
Alfred Galea •
Windy, what Muscat does doesn't affect you, he's the opposition. What Gonzi does affects you in your everyday life, you should be worried about that. Like the new gas and petrol prices, the 340,000,000 deficit and the half a billion euro land giveaway aka White Rocks.
Besides, he was reacting to the lie that Gonzi said about BWSC.....now HE, the Gonz should have checked the facts, but with suckers/apologists like you he doesn't have to, coz he knows that when the time comes you'll still lick his ass.
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Let's be truthful Salgister GONZI is everybody's PM including you and I.
Chances are that he will remain PM even after the next election, no matter how corrupt, arrogant and deceitful his administration continues to be.
But you know why, because your incompetent leader doesn't even have the foresight to check on matters as important as the BWSC contract with Brussels and now have egg all over his face for spending all day Sunday believing another lGONZIPN LIE.
Of course calling him Forrest Gump is an honour.
Forrest Gump had the gumption to hallucinate world affairs. your JM can't even figure out when GONZIPN pulls the wool over his eyes, because he's too incompetent to check for facts before he goes on his Sunday mission trying to convince and promote his progressive and moderate illusion of self serving admiration.
What an absolutely disgraceful position he has put the MLP and the working class it represents in.
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Any doubts as who holds the title "Il Giddieb ta l-Europa."
Gonzi you are a disgrace on all counts.
Joe Tanti •
The BWSC affair to Gonzi and his cronies is like a quicksand situation ,the more they utter nonsense, the more they try to defend this scandalous affair the more they sink into the mire, and Iam sorry to say they are dragging the name of Malta into dirt of international scandals.Malta is being percieved as a nation where money talks and bullshit walks. Corruption reigns in Malta.Our reputation as a modern European civilised nation is being tarnished by this gang of dishonest pseudo politicians. The general election is still more than 30 months away and God knows what other disgraceful antics Gonzi and his henchmen will resort to. A plea to certain PN mps, dont continue being part of this miserable ,sorry situation in which Malta is in now.KICK him out.
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Last Sunday I was happy to hear Dr Gonzi declaring that EU commsissioner is dropping all infrigments and now reading your story this puts me in the cold. I am so sorry for all his lies but this one is too much. I cant vote PN this time round. Signed WOW
Micheal Bonanno •
At least he isn't as stupid (or should I say, gullible) as your PM. He played it safe. And what JM said made sense, and still does now. Nothing has changed. And by the way calling JM Forrest Gump is an honour. If you had seen the movie, and understood it, you'd see that the main character was a caring fellow and not egotistic, egocentric, and dishonest! He was the real McCoy!
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What a Brilliant stooge Gonzi is.He is making Malta the laughing stock of Europe. the LP accusation on the power station went up in smoke he said, its your announcement that went up in smoke.Grow up show some leadership.Your performance has been utterly disappointed to say the least.
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salgister maybe you should ask your incompetent leader what happened, because he spent all day Sunday saying the EU decision did not change anything.
And one may ask, did he at least check with brussels to verify the EU decision?
Another incompetent action...
Tony Zerafa •
I guess this is what the public perception was and will always be on the BWSC issue. The government is just making up stories to justify his failure in this matter. AG comments in the PAC continue to confirm my thoughts that this whole story just stinks from start to finish.
Alfred Galea •
Now, to justify the BWSC contract, the weasel is saying that Bateman tried to do the same.......maybe their offer was less than 4,000,000, that's why it failed. PLUS, they knew that that's how the game is played in Malta. There are people who'll do anything for a price.
Micheal Bonanno •
Where is fommirrih for his wisdom!?????
Alfred Galea •
@ A Muscat......stop wondering....it went for BWSC and the Heavy Oil coz that's what put money into the pockets of a certain number of people. Had nothing to do with the environment or people's health. Just kickbacks and corrupt practices.
AT..AG..AM..SG..and some minnows.
Alfred Galea •
@ A Muscat......stop wondering....it went for BWSC and the Heavy Oil coz that's what put money into the pockets of a certain number of people. Had nothing to do with the environment or people's health. Just kickbacks and corrupt practices.
AT..AG..AM..SG..and some minnows.
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Li jinteressana mhux li tghid il-Kummissjoni Ewropea, izda l-fatt li l-Gvern mar ghal uzu ta' energija li se tkompli tnigges l-ambjent tan-Nofsinhar tal-pajjiz. Il-Gvern ta' Gonzi ghadu ma ggustifika bl-ebda mod id-decizjoni tieghu li jmur ghall-Heavy Fuel Oil, meta l-politika tal-Gvern kienet li l-estensjoni l-gdida tahdem bil-Gass Naturali. Issa dil-konfuzjoni mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar il-proceduri li fethet kontra l-Gvern Malti huma rrilevanti ghax hekk kif sostna l-Awditur Generali rregolaritajiet kien hemm, izda hu m'ghandux l-ghodda biex jinvestiga.
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dawn affarijiet tat tfal ma nistax nifhem kif gejt avdat b dan il poter tal gvern vera poplu imbecilli. x hin tisma bil gideb bil hmieg u bit tafig tieghek ma nafx nidhaqx jew nidwahhax nahseb aktar ghandna nitwahxu ghax min ghand il gvern suppost nipretendu li nihdu il gid u affarijiet tajba ghal dan il pajjiz izda min flokk bil gideb it tafig u t tahwid ta dal gvern ghax donnu haseb li jkun qed jitkellem mat tfal u mhux ma poplu adult,sejjer lura bis sekondi dan il pajjiz mhux ahjar twarab dottor Gonzi u thalli il min imexxi min vera hu kapaci u tassew irid il gid lill pajjiz u mhux gid ghalih personali
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But how can a government embarrass its electorate by such a puerile action. One thing is certain, that the government wants to put this issue to bed as soon as possible. Such a puerile act can only give the message that there is so much to hide from the electorate.
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So, just a few days ago, the govt was refusing to give details of its reply to the commission because the case was still ongoing, but now the govt can comment as much as it likes, even though the procedings are clearly not yet over!
Michael Gauci •
The world is closing in on the Nationalist Party,look at them squirming.
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The BWSC saga is not over yet. The Government is trying to get rid of this 'hot potato' and would like to wake up from this nightmare. We still have to remember that Hon. Austin Gatt was removed from Minister of Energy due to his manipulation of the BWSC contract from a 'neat' contract to a contract full of corruption.
I am mostly disappointed by the EU Commission by its utter failure to spot the fire from the smoke in this ordeal. I thought the EU was there to protect the citizen but it seems that it protects the powerful and those with means. Pity.
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Vera pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse! I don't care what the EU says about infringements, but I do care as to why Dr Lawrence Gonzi is choosing old and dirty technology instead of the cleaner gas technology.
