Continued PL allegations on power station are attacks on Parliament - Gonzi

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said today that he would insist on defending the independence of Parliament and its institutions to ensure a democratic society.

He was referring to the Opposition’s allegations that there were irregularities in the allocation of the Delimara power station extension contract, despite the fact that the Auditor General had found no such evidence.

Dr Gonzi was speaking during a Nationalist Party activity organised at the Lija party club.

He said that, after an 11-month investigation, the Auditor General - an official of Parliament - had reached his conclusion that there was no corruption in the award of the contract. Now this was being challenged by the Opposition, which was insisted on hearing witnesses at meetings of the Public Accounts Committee.

Dr Gonzi said the Opposition's request had been turned down because the witnesses had already been heard by the Auditor. Last Tuesday the Auditor gave evidence before the PAC and reiterated the conclusions of his report. He said that had he found evidence of corruption, he would have gone to the Police Commissioner.

Despite all this, Dr Gonzi said, the Opposition insisted on “sowing doubt” just because they did not like the outcome of the Auditor’s conclusions.

Dr Gonzi insisted that the Auditor was a respectable institution and he was a Parliamentary official whose integrity was being called into doubt.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt agreed with Dr Gonzi saying it was unacceptable that the PL was insisting on a deceptive campaign against the government when facts spoke for themselves.

Asked whether his decision not to contest the next election had anything to do with personal clashes with the Prime Minister, as alleged by PL media, Dr Gatt denied that it was the case.

Although he had “health political arguments” and disagreements with Dr Gonzi occasionally - as he did with his predecessor Eddie Fenech Adami – he believed that Dr Gonzi was one of Malta’s best prime ministers and PN leaders, Dr Gatt said.

Speaking on tourism, Dr Gonzi said this year promised to be a record year in tourism arrivals, surpassing the figures of 2008 that was considered a bumper year. Such great results, he said, were achieved despite the April ash clouds that had closed down airports all over Europe.