Sliema restaurateur at heart of Dalli allegations
Silvio Zammit
A Sliema restaurateur and circus promoter, Silvio Zammit, is at the heart of the allegations investigated by the EU's anti-fraud office which led to John Dalli's resignation from the European Commission today.
The European Commission said that a tobacco company, Swedish Match, had alleged that a Maltese entrepreneur had used his contacts with Mr Dalli to try to gain financial advantages from the company in return for seeking to influence a possible future legislative proposal on tobacco products, in particular on the EU export ban on snus.
Mr Dalli is denying the claims (see separate story).
Mr Zammit when contacted by The Times did not wish to comment on the case. He said however that he was resigning his post as Deputy Mayor of Sliema and leaving the council 'for personal reasons'.
The PN also announced his resignation from the council.
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Noel Cuschieri
Oct 17th 2012, 13:30
I often ( I repeat, often ) wonder why a number of busy business people want to go into politics, in particular with the big parties!! It looks like small parties (like Alternattiva Demokratika) relatively attract more people who have a GENUINE interest in politics. I always thought that people go into politics primarily to give a contribution to society and not to get a return out of it!!!
Lawrence Attard
Oct 17th 2012, 12:39
Regardless of what this whole affair is or isnt, since in his EU role Mr Dalli has held back the passing of a law which could prevent suffering to animals before slaughter, and he has given the go ahead for genetically modified potatoes, I lost every iota of the respect I once had for him.
Antonia Vella
Oct 17th 2012, 11:55
And the circus has come to malta insomma malta is the circus
Vincent Borg
Oct 17th 2012, 13:14
To note this Mr. Silvio Zammit is also trying to impose the Circus on us residents of Naxxar, NO WAY MAN
Mr. Zammit, please note that everyone in Naxxar does not need your free ticket.
j brincat
Oct 17th 2012, 11:49
From what I've been reading in the international press I ask: Could this be a possible a frame up?
(jb)
Ronnie Callus
Oct 17th 2012, 12:14
Could be. One is nor surprised as a similar one has already occured.
Brian Gatt
Oct 17th 2012, 14:36
I agree, it could....especially when you read the comments of the PN Apologists ( i call them Lackeys) all went out guns blazing against Mr Dalli...Buuq mur ifhem
Ms anne galea
Oct 17th 2012, 11:37
A M Bonello
donnok taf b'xi haga inti? mhux sew li zzom kollox ghalik ta fil kas. u hallina...........
Hector Buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 11:34
Nothing can go right with MR. Dalli. I suspect that this scandal is orchestrated by the Ambassador.
Mark Borg
Oct 17th 2012, 11:26
Where are the GonziPN apologists whom have been crucifying John Dalli with their vile and spiteful comments and insinuations? Have they lost their faculty to write? Or has it finally dawned on them that GonsziPN is synonymous with corruption and sleeze galore, from top to bottom. Enjoy while it lasts!
victor bonello
Oct 17th 2012, 11:17
Having followed a programme on ONE TV yesterday about the Whistle blower act, it is understandable why the PN wants the Whistle blower act only to focus on the future and not the past. Who knows what skeletons might crop up?
Joseph Brincat
Oct 17th 2012, 11:44
victor bonello
@ PN wants the Whistleblower act only to focus on the future and not the past.
YOU ARE RIGHT FOR A CRIMINAL IS ALWAYS A CRIMINAL PAST AND FUTURE
Frank Gauci
Oct 17th 2012, 09:23
Kemm ahna pajjiz tac-cajt... Diga ghamilna l-verdett finali ta' min ghandu t-tort jew le.
William Caligari
Oct 17th 2012, 09:22
Dalli ragel fuq l-irgiel. Martirju ghat-tieni darba.
Imma jidher li l-poplu qed dejjem jitghallem.
L-istorja tkompli, u ghadd naraw il-'climax' taghha
kif sa tizvolgi fil-PN. Hemm ikollna twigieba ta' kollox.
Nistennew......
Michael Seychell
Oct 17th 2012, 14:48
William mela insejtu kemm kienu jghajjruh il-Partit tieghek - li darba kien tieghi ukoll. Kontu tghidu li kien jixtri stationary items u biljetti ta' l-ajru minn ghan uliedu stess.
Kontu inthom li mbuttajtu lill P.N. biex jigri wara l-passi ta John Dalli u issa qed tergghu twahhlu fil-PN fuq dan il- kaz ukoll. Isthu jekk tafu kif!
Michael Seychell Tal.Pieta
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Oct 17th 2012, 16:25
Mr Seychell, your comment is extremely unfair as it ignores the more impiortant point that it was Dr Gonzi who asked Dalli to resign over allegations made by friends of friends of the NP. Gonzi always felt threatened by Dalli and wanted him out at all costs - this is what you should be saying.
Eddy Privitera
Oct 18th 2012, 17:00
Michael: F'dan il-kaz jien nemmen li kienu Swedish Match u l-lobby tal-industrija tat-tabakk li riedu jehilsu minn John Dalli. Ghal-GonziPN nahseb li kien ahjar illi kieku Dalli jibqa Brussels, il-boghod mid-Dar Centrali !
Paul Bajada
Oct 17th 2012, 09:21
One thing is sure! Our country's name has been tarnished by honest investing companies with the EU. We shall be considered as a corrupt nation who would do anything for money.
And for this is only the PN responsible, no one else.
How can we pretend to attract foreign investment locally?
M Borg
Oct 17th 2012, 10:24
Do calm down. Do you read any papers ?Do you know what goes on in the rest of the world ?
Ever heard of BAE a UK company ? Ever read that they were accused of corruption ?
The UK is still there and strong compared to the rest of the EU and so is BAE.
L Galea
Oct 17th 2012, 11:12
Mr Bajada,
You do not pretend, but you expect.
Angelo Polidano
Oct 17th 2012, 11:25
Your comment really made me laugh when you inferred that corruption only happens within the PN. I wonder what you will dream of if John Dalli comes out of this clean like he did previously.
godwin difesa
Oct 17th 2012, 12:47
You know for what the PN responsible is what Commissioner Baroso said few days ago that Malta is one of the best countries who are delivering in the EU.About this accusation for Mr Dalli we have to wait and see as these Tobacco companies are very influenced and they know that Mr Dalli is against smoking and Tobacco products so they want him out of the way let give him time to defend him self.
Charles Micallef
Oct 17th 2012, 08:28
My solidarity is with John Dalli and his family, we all know that this is yet another frame up of sorts!
A M Bonello
Oct 17th 2012, 10:45
Not this time!
Ronnie Callus
Oct 17th 2012, 07:56
Veru li l-pajjiz waqa wkoll issa f'halq in-nies ta' l-Ewropa. Jien ma' nahsibx li John Dalli se' jasal sa'hawn f'puzizzjoni bhal dik. Diga kellu kaz simili hawn Malta biex jghamlulu hafna hsara u wara l-investigazzjonijiet ma' sabu xejn u alla jbierek kollha saru f'dawn l-ahhar 5 snin. Hemm bzonn li minnhu hatti ta' dan kollu jiehu li haqqu ghax il-Partit spicca ghal lest. Dr.Gonzi iftah ghajnejk.
P Pace Balzan
Oct 17th 2012, 07:56
My solidarity with John Dalli and his family.
A. MICALLEF
Oct 17th 2012, 07:43
PN and PL both are infiltrated with sharks, this is Sicilian politics. The only guarantee for
the man in the street is to have another party in parliament. That is the only chance that
corruption may come out. Dawn tal-PN kienu qieghdin jitkazaw bil-ligi ta divorzju ! Prosit
ghalihom ! SHAME ON YOU GONZIPN !
Eddy Privitera
Oct 17th 2012, 09:08
A. Micallef.: Why have you included the Pl ? Are you an AD supporter then, because the AD always includes the PL when it criticizes GonziPN !
Frank Gauci
Oct 17th 2012, 09:29
@ Eddy.... YES Mr or Mrs Micallef is right. Both PN and PL are infiltrated with sharks. Maybe you forgot to mention Marsa Mayor and why not; Jason Micallef :)
Amanda Scott
Oct 17th 2012, 07:10
This sounds fishy.. either the PN are really doing what they want for their own personal good or they are putting down their own kind who argue the way they do things.. just my thoughts tough! But I say where's te president's voice in this country?
Eve Axiaq
Oct 17th 2012, 06:50
Min ihawwad fil borma jaf x'fiha.
Jay Oatmon
Oct 17th 2012, 06:03
Why would anyone be surprised by the story of corruption by a politician - cash for favours is their usual way of life all over the world.
No country and no party is free of corruption in my view.
Giuseppe Azzopardi
Oct 17th 2012, 11:07
Wisely said Jay!!Everybody lives in a glasshouse so why should one throw stones?
Mr Alex Aquilina
Oct 17th 2012, 06:03
I wonder if this is part of a plot to discredit John Dalli?
Ramon Casha
Oct 17th 2012, 04:51
Oh what a circus!
Mario Camilleri
Oct 17th 2012, 00:39
And the drama keeps unfolding!! Something new everyday!!
Gonz you seem to have the wheel in your hands as you say but the helm is not obeying and the ship is steered prow into the rocks. I bet you call this "plain sailing" or "business as usual"!!
William Wallace
Oct 17th 2012, 00:11
What a serial, hey I lost count , what episode number is this?, ... Soap Operas are so enjoyable. The name of this episode is : What a bad name for Malta!
M Grima
Oct 17th 2012, 00:05
Dan il-pajjiz huwa tal-meravilji. Minn wejter wiehed jiftah lukanda u iehor minn bejjjieh ta 'l-imqaret jiftah restaurant kbir go tas-Sliema. What is the common factor?
David Caruana
Oct 17th 2012, 00:02
The police need to raid this guy's house and check who he's been in contact with these last few months.
Something is definitely NOT right in this story. How could an EU Commissioner who is hellbent on making a MORE restrictive tobacco market, be possibly involved in corruption which would result otherwise?
Frans Aguis
Oct 16th 2012, 23:50
I love how it is not even mentioned but merely hinted that he is a nationalist councilman.
Antoine Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 23:00
Big difference in the way the PN and PL treat such cases: compare this case (immediate action) with that of the Marsa mayor, implicated in a much more serious situation.
A.Felex Busuttil
Oct 17th 2012, 10:35
what about
Austin Gatt
Tonio Fenech and his Jerma friends
Now we have another Minister in the news
How many Minister resigned, how can you compare a Mayor with a Minister
what about our Gozitan Mayours.
Profs it seems that you only read one newspapers
Alfred Vassallo
Oct 17th 2012, 10:40
I think it would have been more appropiate to compare it with the fiasco of the Sliema council. There was no immediate action back then. Was there??
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Oct 17th 2012, 16:34
The speed with which the PN got rid of Zammit is almost suspicious - only five hours after Dalli resigned and without any report being published or given to the PM. How did GonziPN know it was Mr. Zammit who was involved? Another mystery - or is it?
Thomas Mifsud
Oct 16th 2012, 22:47
Is-sewwa jirbaħ żgur u l-Partit Laburista se jirbaħ l-elezzjoni li ġejja. Iż-żejt jitla f'wiċċ l-ilma u l-pastazati kollha li għamlu l-klikka ta Gonzi matul is-snin issa qed joħorġu f'daqqa. Iġri nieħdu nifs ġdid taħt gvern ġdid b'ideat ġodda. Strieħ GonziPn għax tidher li għajjejt, m'għadux żmien il-buzullotti - Austin Gatt
Jo Meli
Oct 16th 2012, 22:40
I, Joseph M. Meli, am CONVINCED that John Dalli is INNOCENT and can state that John Dalli is a very HONEST and hardworking man, an example for those who want to persue a Service in Party Politics for the benefit of La Patria and Her People.
C Muscat
Oct 17th 2012, 08:37
@ Jo Meli
I agree 100%.
For those that are implyimg any political party; it stands to reason that all political parties contain human beings that can go corrupt.
I am Maltese first and foremost than if need be I will side with any party.
Laurence Muscat
Oct 16th 2012, 22:35
on the contrary of Joseph Muscat,
The PN accepted the resignation of the Vice major of Sliema,
Joseph and his men knew about the accusations on Marsa major, and never did anything about it..
That is the differance
MLP never change
A. Xuereb
Oct 17th 2012, 08:33
Joseph and his men knew about the accusations on Marsa major, and never did anything about it....Can you prove that Dr Muscat knew beforehand? Does anyone have any concrete proof, other than hearsay,gossip and wishful thinking from PN supporters?
How is your reasoning going to solve the disrepute Malta's name has been brought into?
saviour frendo
Oct 16th 2012, 22:26
what another resignation from the PN camp? any more in ljne? GONZI PN will soon be left by himself!!!!!!!
Jimmy Ventura
Oct 16th 2012, 22:08
Li kieku John Dalli kien se jcedi mill-pozizzjoni iebsa tieghu kontra t-tipjip, kien ikun irrapurtat? Kuragg John f'dan il-mument difficli. Din mhix kustjoni ta politika lokali u partiggjana. Safrattant ta' kontrik jiddefenduk kontra l-barranin u dawk li temmen bhalhom jghakksuk u full speed biex jehdulek postok. Mhux ta b'xejn li jkun hawn ic-caqliq, il movimenti u t-terrimoti.
Alfred Cassar
Oct 16th 2012, 21:48
Don't rush to conclusions as usual, it might turn out that Dalli is innocent in this case after all. I'm not a Dalli fan mind you.
Joseph Apap
Oct 16th 2012, 21:29
I am very sorry to hear this that Mr. Dalli has resigned because Silvio Zammit is implicating him in a scandal
I do not believe that this is true and hope that Mr. Dalli will defend himself
I am a Maltese first and a political party comes second
Ronnie Callus
Oct 17th 2012, 08:25
I have no doubt that Mr.Dalli emerge with flying colours. The culprit should be heavily punished as if it is true this is something which damages the credibility of all Maltese.
Noel Abela
Oct 16th 2012, 21:24
First we had Boris Johnson make fun of us. Now we are the laughing stock at Brussels. What next Dr Gonzi.
M.Dolores Vassallo
Oct 16th 2012, 20:56
U l-vapur ta GonziPN ikompli jereq. ma tistax tigik wahda tajba Gonz ghajjat elezzjoni ghax ser tkun l'akbar umiljazzjoni li qatt ha il-partit tal PN.
Alfred Cassar
Oct 16th 2012, 21:40
Ghala mela kemm hi aghar Sindku jabbuza mit-tfal subien u jithalla jgawdi l-poter MDolores?
Joseph Aquilina
Oct 16th 2012, 23:42
@M.Dolores Vassallo
I love to see typical lejber mentality at its best which finds anyone from a different political background to be guilty until proven innocent!!
M Micallef
Oct 17th 2012, 07:38
Il vapur mhux ser jghereq ghax il-kaptan ghandu direzzjoni. La m'gheriqx s'issa mhux ser jghereq issa. Niddisgusta ruhi naqra kummenti bhal dawn ghax hi wisq evidenti li certu nies donnu bhal jiehdu pjacir bid-deni (l-aqwa li kontra Gonzu u l-PN). F'l ahhar tal-gurnata isem Malta hemm fin-nofs u Malta mhix ta' Gonzi u tal-PN biss izda tal-poplu kollu.
Ronnie Callus
Oct 17th 2012, 08:02
Well said M.Dolores, when values diminishes everything goes down. The Party has lost its credibility and for sure needs a clean up from top to bottom. Franco Debono has been saying it for a long time now, but Dr.Gonzi is remaining adamant, resulting of the Party failure.
Ronnie Callus
Oct 17th 2012, 08:09
@ M.Micallef:
Proset ghalik Sur.Micallef ! Mela Dr.Gonzi fil-Gvern lil min qed jirriprezenta, jekk mhux lil Malta ( lili u lilek). Sa' fejn naf jien meta jmur l-EU, jew jghaddi xi ligi ghal kulhadd jghaddiha, mhux hekk. Taf x'wiehed jista jghid li dawn l-affarijiet dan l-ahhar bdejna nisimhu bihom u mhux qabel, ghax nahseb il-kaptan raqqad u ghalhekk ser jghereq il-vapur.
Paul Caruana
Oct 16th 2012, 20:54
Ha! The plot thickens......
You have to admire people like John Dalli, who do not know when to keep their mouth shut for their own good. For sticking to his principals and saying what was on his mind, he was forced to resign, twice. In both instances his resignations followed allegations of misconduct. These where proven false the first time: one wonders if history will repeat itself.
Alfred Falzon
Oct 16th 2012, 20:54
John Dalli said "Deja Vue". The question is who is behind the "hidden hand". My solidarity with John and his family.
m. borg (slm)
Oct 16th 2012, 20:46
Sliema's deputy mayor.!!!
This year we had an unexpected local elections at Sliema , the reason according to gonzipn was to clear the council of the roth that had set in.
Looks like the council still needs a very large spring cleaning. Don't Sliema residents ever learn? Being nationalist isn't and never was, some sort of belonging to a superior race. Status is only reserved for the few.
j brincat
Oct 16th 2012, 20:40
So, the drama keeps unfolding!!!
(jb)
fred sammut
Oct 17th 2012, 06:47
habieb tieghi, gieli naqbel mieghek fuq li tikteb imma illum le !!! Drama tibda u tispicca sieghat jew granet wara...... din hija jew Soap Opera jew inkella verzjoni gdida ta Never Ending Story............
Toni Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 20:40
and the 'tahwida' starts to unfold!
David Caruana
Oct 16th 2012, 20:40
Silvio Zammit? Sewwa kienu qalulu tal-Graffiti mela?
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