The VAT case against Nationalist Party general secretary Paul Borg Olivier was withdrawn in court as he had already regularised his position.

Dr Borg Olivier’s case was one of 89 cases heard yesterday before Magistrate Doreen Clarke and which were all withdrawn in similar circumstances.

A VAT hearing is held every month.

Dr Borg Olivier had been summoned to appear in connection with his failure to submit a VAT return within the 75-day deadline stipulated by law. The return in question was for the period covering June to August 2006, two years before he was elected to his PN post.

As his name was called, a VAT representative informed the court Dr Borg Olivier had regularised his position and the case was withdrawn.

Dr Borg Olivier had explained last month it had been a genuine oversight and he had in fact thought he had submitted the return. He dismissed calls for his resignation, insisting he had regularised his position with the department.

Dr Borg Olivier, in fact, got caught up in a system which sees thousands of individuals arraigned over fines issued over the late filing of VAT returns, which incur huge penalties often criticised as draconian by lawyers.