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Gonzi has assumed responsibility in oil procurement case - Muscat

Gonzi has assumed responsibility in oil procurement case, Muscat says. Video: Paul Spiteri Lucas

Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning that the prime minister, in endorsing Austin Gatt’s version of his meeting with oil trader George Farrugia, had become become directly responsible for this case.

Dr Muscat was referring to Lawrence Gonzi's comments yesterday that he stood by a declaration made by Dr Gatt that he never discussed oil tenders with Mr Farrugia - the person granted a presidential pardon to reveal information on the alleged illegal kickbacks.

Speaking at a press conference in Rabat, Dr Muscat said that Dr Gatt had given the impression that he only met Mr Farrugia in run-of-the-mill constituency meetings, but the e-mails published by the Sunday Times indicated otherwise.

He could understand that Dr Gonzi would give Dr Gatt the benefit of the doubt after so many years of friendship, but by going a step further and standing by his version, the prime minister was making himself directly responsible, Dr Muscat said.

Dr Muscat said the yardstick of whether the granting of the pardon was a good decision or not would be based on the testimony in court and on whether the police needed this information to strengthen their cases in court.

In his reaction to The Sunday Times story, Dr Gatt had reiterated that when he met Mr Farrugia he had never discussed the business oil procurement.

A spokesman said: "The minister repeats once again that his denial  is categorical and if anyone has even a shred of proof that he discussed Enemalta oil tenders with anyone – let alone George Farrugia – then that proof should be immediately given to the Commissioner of Police.” 

The spokesman said that Dr Gatt had also met Mr Farrugia – in the presence of a number of his partners and ministry officials – regarding a storage project they were developing and which the ministry was involved in from a maritime point of view."

The spokesman said the e-mails did not imply anything contrary to what the minister said, and none of them even remotely referred to Enemalta oil tenders. In fact, one of them did not even refer to the minister at all and ‘A.G.’ could be anyone. Another e-mail referred  to Mediterranean Oil Bunkering Corporation storage facilities in which George Farrugia was active as well, and the third one merely stated that Tancred Tabone, then chairman of Enemalta, would be meeting the minister, which he did regularly.

Dr Muscat made this morning's comments at the Wignacourt Museum where he reiterated his party’s position on culture.

He said that culture would not be the Cinderella of a new government, more so since the coming five years would see the 50th anniversary of Independence, Valletta as European Cultural Capital, and Malta's presidency of the EU.

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Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 12th, 19:01

Austin Gatt has already categorically denied that the meeting suggested in the email took place nor any other similar meeting. Those who raise the accusation have the responsibility to prove their allegation.

Joe Muscat

Feb 12th, 16:17

The only hogwash I am hearing is yours....which is always the case since you only look at things in one colour

Joe M Borg

Feb 12th, 17:27

Jo Muscat Did YOU take off your red glasses before you wrote. It is true that Joseph, the champion of transparency, who at the start of this campaign told us to ask WHAT WE wanted, and he will answer, IS STILL RUNNING AWAY! We are STILL waiting his answers about: Anglu's accusations; his lie that he is on good terms with Anglu; Zarbs 'pushups'; Abela's new revelations. His answersare lacking!

Joe M Borg

Feb 12th, 17:30

Don't bet on it, Victor! Between words and fact.... What has Joseph done about Anglu's claims? About Zarb? About T Abela? We know what HE DID with the ousted PN Sliema mayor, the ousted police officer. He applauded them. How can one trust Joseph? In the case of Libja, he praised the revolution AFTER their victory. He had blamed PN for siding with the rebels TOO EARLY. And Cyprus, Iceland

Brian Gatt

Feb 12th, 15:02

Dear Dr Saliba (Pn Lackey) Most people Do have Brains unlike what you and your party thinks, and it is because they DO have Brains that they can reach their own conclusions on the matter. They do not need Dr Muscat nor your help to tell them what they should think, with the e-mails that got publicated today you only need little imagination to reach a conclusion on what really happened.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Feb 12th, 15:20

Oh I see. So clear evidence in black and white that a meeting did take place and an admission by Gatt that it did, to you means no meeting took place. But then you believe a doctored recording which was obtained by illegal, unethical and immoral means. Strange reasoning indeed.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Feb 12th, 15:23

Apart from that, it takes out of the hands of the PM the chance to negotiate with a criminal who wants a pardon.If a minister is involved, a PM should not have intervened as he may have told the accused that if he mentions a minister in evidence, the PM will withdraw the pardon. I am only suggesting that this could happen.

Joe M Borg

Feb 12th, 17:33

P Micallef. Yes, PL want the whistleblower act, ONLY IF IT's AGAINST PN! When Anglu acted as a whistleblower, THEY DID NOTHING. Anglu warned us about some facts with PL, and about his lack of trust in JM. And Zarb's 'pushups'? What did PL do? NOTHING! So much for the whistleblower act!

David Bezzina

Feb 12th, 12:37

Imma x'ghandu x'jaqsam !!!
Hawn qed nitkellmu fuq miljuni ta' Ewros ta' korruzzjoni fejn hemm ministru indikat fl-emails u mhux telefonata ma' gurnalista.

M Fava

Feb 12th, 13:33

LOL biex lanqas il-PN mhu qed isemmu dawn l-emails ta' sena ilu itik x'tifhem li l-kontenut kien manipulat mill-media u li huma irrelevanti.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Feb 12th, 15:25

Ellul, umbaghad hadtu gost tkissruha lil Ms Agius. Daqshekk inthom nisranija - tinqdew bill bloggers biex tkissru il-hajja personali ta' bniedma ghax hi Laburista. Ahjar ma issemiehx dan l-episodju ikrah ghax xejn ma jaghmlilkom gieh.

Joe M Borg

Feb 12th, 17:37

Il-fatt li Austin kellu laqgha mhux bilfors ifisser li hu ha xi flus. Hallu l-pulizija tara dak, u jekk haqqu, ha jiehu li zergha. Imma tghagglux twaddbu t-tajn, kif jafu jghamlu l-PL. Tiftakru qabel l-1996, kemm twaddab tajn kontra l-PN? Meta telghu fil-gvern il-PL lil HADD ma ressqu l-qorti. U kemm qalulna li jekk jitla' l-PN fl-2008 is-sahha ma tibqax b'xejn. Illum nafu min kapaci jigdeb

twanny borg

Feb 12th, 12:55

L-email ma humiex indikattivi ghal xiex propja qed jirreferu. Issa jekk mohhok biex tinkonkludi bhas-soltu dak li trid tisma affari tieghek. Jien nistenna r-rizultat tal-pulizija.

David Bezzina

Feb 12th, 12:38

Jigifieri ma hemmx korruzzjoni Sur Cauchi ?

Brian Gatt

Feb 12th, 15:06

@ Joseph Cauchi Senior.....qed inigizkom Guz ux qed inigizkom inghid!! PN Lackey trying to close the mouth of Dr Muscat....what about the freedom of speech you all used to brag about that you brought in.....Hallina Guz

M Fava

Feb 12th, 13:35

Gonzi biss jaf x'inhu jghid!

J Camilleri

Feb 12th, 10:59

Kompli emmen dak li trid habib.

Joseph Mifsud

Feb 12th, 11:05

Sur Aquilina...

Int tahseb li instabu l-emails kollha? U fuq kollox billi ma hemmx email minand A.G. ma jfissirx li ma uzax mobile, telephone, uza terzi..hammiema jekk trid..biex jaghti r-risposta tieghu. Min kif hemm fl-emails jidher car li meeting sar...fuq xiex tkellmu ma nafux imma la em Trafigura fin-nofs ma nimmaginax li tkellmu fuq it-temp. Issa jghodd x'ha jghid Farrugia fil-qorti

K.G. Vella

Feb 12th, 11:15

They are not one-sided - they are correspondence between two sides. They are not addressed to the minister but they speak about the minister.

Franco Abela

Feb 12th, 11:26

@ Joseph Aquilina

Inti qrajt xi mkien li Joseph Muscat qed iwahhal f Austin Gatt? Hu qed jghid li jekk Austin Gatt jinstab li kellu x jaqsam, Gonzi dahal responsabbli ghalih.

Li A.G zgur tfisser Austin Gatt ma nistghux nghiduha... pero wisq aktar ma nistghux nghidu li zgur ma tfissirx Austin Gatt.

R. Lewis

Feb 12th, 11:34

@Joseph Aquilina. Even a three year old child need not send an email confirming that he had a meeting with the Chairman. Send the email to whom and for what? For sure we don't have a 5 year old brain and we think otherwise, we don't know about yours. All we want is that who ever is involved and stole our money will be brought to justice. Mela min jiffoxna fil miljuni u min jara kif igahgaha.

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 12th, 12:37

Once again my dear Joseph Aquilina PN, I Joseph Aquilina LP has to reply to your comment about leadership qualities. Joseph Muscat in his 4 years as LP leader was able to convince a good number of influential ex PN to join him because they were fed up with the way by which Laurence Gonzi was leading the PN. Infact in your party there was a haemorrhage of disillusioned party people crossing over.

M Fava

Feb 12th, 13:36

As if there aren't other means of communication Sur Aquilina!

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 12th, 11:06

Very good point!

Matthew Grima

Feb 12th, 11:19

It only means that Dr. Gonzi should not have said that he believes Austin until he is proven guilty or not, as he now has to stand by what he said. Dr. Gonzi risked a lot by that statement.

Franco Abela

Feb 12th, 11:27

Jekk Joseph Muscat jghid li zgur Austin Gatt ghandu x jaqsam... iwa... jekk ma jinstabx hati jkolli jirrezenja. Pero mhux qed jinghad hekk.

Joe Muscat

Feb 12th, 14:06

Hozz fl-ilma...Gonzi u xi ftit minn ta madwaru kellhom ghalfejn jirrezenjaw bosta drabi...ima ghawnhekk hadd ma jerfa responsabbilta....

Joseph Pavia

Feb 12th, 10:29

Intergration le Twanny! Ghax ic-cahda ta' l-intergration kienet li xprunat l-ghajta ghal l-Indipendenza.

R. Lewis

Feb 12th, 10:33

@Twanny Borg. Qieghed tghid li il lum nistaw nghamlu li irridu f'pajjizna, mela insejt li dawn l-kumpaniji li sejjer insemmilek huma kollha mmexxejjin mill barranin, Drydocks/Palumbo, Lotto/Maltco, Transport/Arriva, Banek/HSBC,etc, Airport, Air Malta, u ohrajn. Taf li ma fadal xejn taghna u tigi tghid li ahna independenti ?

carmel vella

Feb 12th, 10:34

Tibqax tghid minn dawn il-hmerijiet Sur Borg. Tajjeb illi tkun taf li il-mixja tal-poplu Malti lejn il-HELSIEN bdiet hafna aktar kmieni meta fis-SETTE GIUGNO xi maltin qalbieni carcru demmhom ghalina. Minn wara dan l-avveniment, il-Maltin akkwistaw l-ewwel kostituzzjoni. L-Indipendenza u Ir-repubblika kienu passi importanti fil-mixja taghna lejn il-Helsien. Tippruvax anke hawnhekk tara blu biss!

Maria Xuereb

Feb 12th, 10:37

X'indipendeza kienet? Ara kontx tmur St. Andrew's, jew kull fejn zammew taht idejhom l-Inglizi. Insejt jew kont ghadek ma twelidx. Ara l-artijiet kollha strategigi ta' Malta f'idejn min kienu? L-Ingliz baqghu jikkontrollaw kollox huma sa kemm gie s-salvatur ta' Malta u fil-31 ta' Marzu keccihom il-barra u dakinhar gejna vera ndipendenti ghax ma kellna lil hadd jikkmanda l-icken rokna f'Malta.

Leonard Brincat

Feb 12th, 10:38

Safejn niftakar jien wara l indipendenza li kienet it tieni pass fi triq it tajba xorta nofs Malta kienet ghada ta l inglizi. Nahseb li is sette Gunju ikun ahjar bhala jum nazzjonali. Biex forsi naqtaw il partiggjanizmu

Herman Mercieca

Feb 12th, 10:40

habib aqra li storja sewwa.Xorta ma stajnix namlu li ridu jew nithlu fejn iridu ezempju il-marsa ta mastajnix nithlu kalaxlokk lanqas pemprok u hafna postijiet mil l'isbah ma stajnix imorru habib. xorta pqajna inhalsu it-taxxa li regina u kieku l'inglisi dahlu fxi gweera kien kollna nargaw nkunu bazi

Ph. Cauchi

Feb 12th, 10:49

Twanny jekk ma jimpurtax ejja nitkellmu fuq dan l-iskandlu taz-zejt please jew ma jaqbilekx hallik mil festa nazzjonali issa.

Nahseb ma tantx trid tisma fuqha veru?

Rose Grima

Feb 12th, 11:05

Maria Xuereb

How blinkered you are!! If it hadn't been for Independence obtained by PN govt, your darling Dom Mintoff wouldn't have been able to ask foe Malta to become a republic. Learn to appreciate what had been done for our country by all Maltese govts...believe me, though I am a PN follower, I still am able to see the good that a labour govt between 1971 -1977 did for the country.

Eddy Privitera

Feb 12th, 11:13

twanny borg: Injsemmilek forsi l-aktar haga importanti: ILLUM LANQAS IL-BUDGET M'GHNANDA DRITT LI JAGHMLU L-GVERN MALTI WAHDU. IRID IL-PERMESS TAL-UE !

Aristide Galea

Feb 12th, 11:17

Sur Borg , ma nixtieqx li naqbad jew inqabbad xi polemika , imma jekk jgħoġbok taqbad u taqra ftit il-kostituzzjoni ta' l-indipendenza tkun taf kemm verament konna indipendenti . Hu kollu veru , li fuq il-karta konna nidrhu li aħna indipendenti , izda jekk tara it-trattat ta' difiza li kellna mal-gvern Ingliz tinduna kemm kollox baqa' kif kien qabel u ma kienet indipendenza xejn .

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 12th, 11:21

R lewis, kemm ghadek lura fejn jithol il kuncet semplici ta privatizazjoni u ghaliex dan ta gid ghal pakijzna.

Joseph Grech Attard

Feb 12th, 11:27

Sur Twanny Borg, tant stajna naghmlu li riidu li t-telecommunications, id-difiza, il-banek, l-airport, certi areas bhal St. Andrews, Kalafrana, Sta Maria Estate, etc kienu d'idejn il-barranin, l-aktar l-Inglizi.

R. Lewis

Feb 12th, 12:17

@Joseph Aquilina. Jien nahseb int ghadek lura u tirraguna b'mohh ta xi hadd ta hames snin bhal ma ghidt izjed il fuq. Jien nemmen fil privattizzazzjoni imma skond kif. Tiskanta kif il kumpaniji li gew moghtija kienu jaghmlu telf u imbaghad Alla jbierek bdew jaghmlu il profit.Mela ippriv kollox, gibna jghidu xi 2 biljuni u ghandna 6 biljuni dejn. Spjegahhali jekk joghogbok ghax ma nistax nifhiema.

twanny borg

Feb 12th, 12:52

Kummenti banali il-verita' tibqgha li fahhar muscat illum stess li bl-indipendenza stajna naghmlu li irridu kemm qabel u kemm wara. Dak il-jum nazzjonali.

twanny borg

Feb 12th, 13:29

@joseph grech attard - jekk kien hemm affarijiet li hallejna l-inglizi jikkontrollaw kien ittort ta' malta mhux tal-inglizi jew ghax ma stajnix nehduhom. bl-INDIPENDENZA biss stajna nohduhom lura. SEMPLICI.
muscat qed jirrikonnoxxi l-indipendenza tridu u ma tridux tibghelu kollox bhal ma qed tibelaw xi ex suppost nazzjonalisti bi skop specifiku taghhom. u laburisti genwini isafru jibqghu.

M Fava

Feb 12th, 13:39

L-indipendenza ma gabitx l-integration. L-integration qas biss riduha n-nazzjonalisti. Fejn kont qed tghix dawn l-ahhar 50 sena?

Joseph Grech Attard

Feb 12th, 15:56

Sur Twanny Borg, l-affarijiet li semmejt jien baqghu f'idejn il-barranin WARA l-indipendenza. Gew f'idejn il-maltin wara l-1971 bis-sahha tal-Lejber u tar-repubblika! Jekk hu tort ta' Malta allura tort ta' min kien imexxi dak oz-zmien i.e. il-PN!

G.A. Scicluna

Feb 12th, 10:35

why not??

Mehdi Klein

Feb 12th, 10:41

No, that is one of the things JM cares about and there are other other things that he cares about for this country...for you and your family

Massimo Gatt

Feb 12th, 10:42

It is a very big change to impress! It is a very important opportunity which we must exploit!

Eddy Privitera

Feb 12th, 11:14

george Cutajar: And what really concerns Lawrence Gonzi is to cut ribbons on the eve of an election !

Joe Muscat

Feb 12th, 14:04

Nice way of by-passing the Oil Scandal issue george.....Nothing to say about that......? Where are you PN bloggers now...? Speak about the Oil commission issue or are you going to come out with the excuse that it's still under investigation......?

Joe Camilleri

Feb 12th, 14:48

@Eddy Privitera

cut ribbons of projects that were done by the PN and surley not by the lejber party !! i bet the projects you are criticising are the ones you go to on a sunday afternoon with your family!!

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