Online operator demands apology from Commissioner Dalli

Online ticketing site operator MaltaTicket.com Limited said today that it was demanded a formal apology from EU Commissioner John Dalli over comments he made during a press conference yesterday.

The Times reported Mr Dalli as claiming that out of six websites selling cultural and sporting tickets in Malta, only one had been found to be in compliance, and the remaining five were being investigated by EU and Maltese authorities. No sites were named.

Dr David Pollina, CEO of MaltaTicket.com Limited said: "It is simply disgraceful, unprofessional, and highly irresponsible for an EU regulator to pat himself on the back gratuitously by casting aspersions on an entire industry with vague claims of non-compliance with law. We for one view such comments as potentially libellous and demand that they be immediately retracted."

He pointed out that this was not the first time that such sweeping and self-elevating statements had been made by the office that Mr Dalli now heads. In November of 2007 it claimed that two travel websites - unnamed - were in breach of law, then in September of last year it claimed that seven out of 10 Maltese websites selling consumer electronics - also unnamed - were likewise in violation. None of these sites has ever been named.

"A regulator's job is to ensure compliance with the law, and promote regularising by anyone found to be in breach", Dr. Pollina said. "Failing this, his job is to protect potential victims. These repeated cries of 'wolf, wolf' by the office of Mr Dalli do nothing but instil fear in the consumer and mistrust of every website in the sector. The true measure of regulatory success is not found in nebulous 'reports', but in the number of cases where traders were assisted to regularise in the shortest possible time, and the damage averted through public naming of those which failed to regularise after being asked to do so."

"Casting general aspersions may make Mr. Dalli feel like his office is accomplishing something, but in reality all it does is harm the reputation of those of us who comply with the law. Mr. Dalli does not need to stoop to terrorising the public to justify the work of his office - but would be better served actually performing that work which is indeed a vital public service."

Dr Pollina said that MaltaTicket had never been notified of any inquiry by the European Commission, and therefore must assume that it was the 'one' operator referred to by Mr. Dalli's report ' which was in full compliance.

"We would appreciate if this fact were publically confirmed by Mr. Dalli, as our company goes to great lengths to make sure that it complies with the law. Anyone buying tickets from MaltaTicket.com knows very clearly the cost of those tickets, any associated charges, and the terms of sale which govern all ticket sales through any of our channels. We want to reassure our customers that Mr. Dalli's remarks do not apply to us."