[WATCH] Chris Fearne defends Prime Minister’s appeal against 17 Black inquiry

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne insisted today that Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri’s appeal against the 17 Black inquiry was a normal part of the judicial process.

In July last year, magistrate Ian Farrugia had ruled there was enough reason for a criminal inquiry to be held regarding what the Panama Papers had uncovered. But Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi, along with businessmen Brian Tonna and Karl Cini of Nexia BT, Malcolm Scerri and Adrian Hillman subsequently filed separate appeals to the magistrate’s decision.

The appeals were assigned to judge Antonio Mizzi, who last week adjourned the case to 5 December, a date which falls after his retirement. Another judge has to now be assigned.

Fearne, who was fielding questions from journalists after a press conference on robotic medicine dispensing, defended the appeal, saying it was within every person’s right to do so.

“We yesterday held a two and a half hour discussion in Parliament - which the Opposition apparently thought we would not have accepted to have - about 17 Black,” he said, “The main points which emerged are that a judicial process regarding the matter is underway, with the competent authorities and institutions carrying out an investigation.”

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“Malta is a European country which abides by the rule of law. Every citizen has the right to appeal any judicial process. We need to let the courts and institutions do their job,” he emphasised, when asked on the apparent contradiction of Muscat saying he wouldn’t be acting on the 17 Black revelations because of pending inquiries, while he was at the same appealing the inquiry process

Fearne also noted that every judicial process had to be seen in its entirety, including the possibility available to everyone of appealing.