Opposition asked not to put 'sensitive' questions on Air Malta in Parliament
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech this evening asked the opposition to not to continue pressing him for information on the Air Malta restructuring negotiations at this stage because the issue was sensitive and any information made public could be used against the airline.
Moreover, there was a confidentiality agreement between the government and the European Commission on the process, Mr Fenech said.
He had therefore decided not to answer any parliamentary question – in whole or in part – on Air Malta.
Labour MP Gavin Gulia said his original question on who were the foreign advisers drawing up reports on the national airline. This, he said, was of public interest because the company was government-controlled. The government had loaned it €52 million. The minister said it should not be him to choose which information was commercially sensitive or not.
Dr Gulia said during the last three months more than 20 foreign advisers were asked to draw reports.
Alfred Sant asked whether the sensitivity emanated from Air Malta’s commercial situation or from the EC’s analysis of the state aid the airline could receive. The latter could never be of a confidential nature and the minister should and must give an account to Parliament.
Mr Fenech said that advisers were appointed both on the restructuring report on state aid which must be sent to the commission. Such aspects were technical and specialised and warranted legal advice. There were also aspects related to operational aspects of the airline.
The minister said there was an EC-process how the information received by the commission regarding state aid would be published. If prematurely divulged it could be detrimental to the airline.
Mr Fenech said it was expected that the EC decision would be contested by other foreign airlines. Any information divulged before the process was complete would give a head start to such airlines on the points they should attack the commission when presenting their objections.
Mr Fenech said that he had agreed with EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia that they should start the formal process, thus opening the door to objections. The commission could have approved the report risking that objectors would the revert to the European Court of Justice.
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Charles Debattista
Oct 11th 2011, 09:10
sur Julien
naf fic cert li il PL kien tant tajjeb li ghamilha l Air Malta u mhux qeridha! biex ma nsemmix is Sea Malta, Mid Med , Tarzana ecc li il PN ghamel herba minnhom. !! M hemmx x tara habib !!!
Julien Cachia
Oct 12th 2011, 10:33
Jiena miniex qieghed nitkellem fuq il passat li qieghed issemmi inti. Hemm hafna fuq hiex wiehed jista jiddibattita, biss peru fil kuntest ta dan L-atriklu.. huwa car li il PL jiehu gost Jfixkel, u ma jaraw l-interess tal poplu, izda biss jara kif ha jigwadanja il popolarita billi jmaqdar u nerga nghid jfixkel minghajr bzonn !!! U nerga nghid issa naraw it team ta Joseph keem ha jkun kapaci jmexxi.. !!
Vincent Bezzina
Oct 11th 2011, 08:58
I wonder if confidentiality is just a way to mask illegality. We have seen enough of this in Malta to know its more than likely.
Julien Cachia
Oct 11th 2011, 08:57
isnt obvious that the PL particularly enjoy making the PN look stupid rather.. The PL will portray this whole picture in the light that the PN are doing something wrong, and are keeping it from the public etc...Whereas in actual fact it is in the benefit of the public that for the moment nothing is revealed, since private dealings are taking place.. Ma nafx jien PL jeqred biss jaf.. Alla ibierek kemm ha jkun tajjeb da Joseph u il crew tieghu.. iva issa naraw !!!
Julien Cachia
Oct 11th 2011, 08:50
isnt obvious that the PL particularly enjoy making the PN look stupid rather.. The PL will portray this whole picture in the light that the PN are doing something wrong, and are keeping it from the public etc...Whereas in actual fact it is in the benefit of the public that for the moment nothing is revealed, since private dealings are taking place.. Ma nafx jien PL jeqred biss jaf.. Alla ibierek kemm ha jkun tajjeb da Joseph u il crew tieghu.. iva issa naraw !!!
Carmel Cilia
Oct 11th 2011, 09:14
Julien voldier l-AirMalta il-P.L. qerida. Iktar ma tkomplu tghidu li l-iswed hu abjad aktar mhux se tibqghu titwemnu habib.
Julien Cachia
Oct 12th 2011, 10:29
Jiena ma ghadtx li il PL qered lil Airmalta.. aqra sew...
Mario Grima
Oct 11th 2011, 07:58
First the PN ruins Air Malta then our wise minister, Tonio Fenech, asks parliament not to ask 'sensitive' questions about this self induced rut. What next in the land of Mickey Mouse?
Paul Giordimaina
Oct 11th 2011, 08:20
You must be the cat in Mickey Mouse land
Carmel Cilia
Oct 11th 2011, 09:12
Paul Giordimaina you are right and the minister is the mickey.
Ramon Casha
Oct 11th 2011, 05:42
"He had therefore decided not to answer any parliamentary question – in whole or in part – on Air Malta."
I didn't know that ministers could simply decide not to answer PQs if they don't feel like it. I'M NOT SAYING that sensitive information should be made public if it can derail proceedings - although eventually everything should become public, but shouldn't there be some kind of procedure for this rather than the minister in question deciding on his own not to answer? And not only that, but he won't be answering ANY questions, sensitive or not. Air Malta has apparently been placed beyond the reach of parliament and that's not good.
Victor Vella
Oct 10th 2011, 22:05
And yet AirMalta aircraft fly away half full,rather then selling the seats at cost price plus at the last week,