(Adds PL's statement and Finance Ministry's reply)
At no time did rogue oil trader George Farrugia say that he had given Finance Minister Tonio Fenech a gift, let alone one that cost more than €5,000, Mr Fenech told a news conference this afternoon.
Addressing a news conference at the PN headquarters, he said that following the allegations made by Evarist Bartolo and Chris Cardona that Mr Farrugia had given him a gift that cost more than €5,000, he contacted the Police Commissioner this morning and asked to give him his version of events. He also asked for the possibility to confront Mr Farrugia.
Mr Fenech said that the Commissioner told him that at no time did Mr Farrugia allege that he had given him a gift. Mr Farrugia also confirmed that he had never made this allegation.
This, Mr Fenech said, showed that Mr Bartolo had lied.
Mr Fenech said that he had been given a clock that was handmade by Mr Farrugia’s sister-in-law, before and not just after, as claimed by Chris Cardona, he became the minister responsible for energy.
Mr Fenech admitted he was Finance Minister when he was given the gift but denied breaching any code of ethics saying this related to gifts of a certain value, which he said this clock was not.
Mr Farrugia, Mr Fenech said, told the Police Commissioner he had accompanied his brother Ray and his sister-in-law when they went to give him this clock. Mr Fenech said he did not have a recollection that he had met Mr George Farrugia but even if he did, it did not change anything of the case.
Mr Fenech said that although the clock was very nice, there was no way it cost €5,000 or more. Mr Farrugia’s sister-in-law, made these clocks herself as a hobby and gave them away. She wanted to give him one because she admired him.
Asked why he had not attended the Cabinet meeting which had decided to give Mr Farrugia a presidential pardon, Mr Fenech said that he was sent to represent the party on Xarabank.
Mr Fenech this morning also filed a criminal complaint against Mr Bartolo and Dr Cardona which he hoped would be heard with urgency and before the election.
Earlier in the press conference, Mr Fenech accused Labour candidates David Farrugia Sacco and Manuel Mallia of lying.
Referring to what Dr Farrugia Sacco said a week ago that his brother was not involved in the IT audit commissioned by Power Plan, he said a public document showed that Dr Farrugia Sacco’s brother Stephen had worked in conjunction with Geoffrey Farrugia to draw up the report.
Dr Mallia, the minister said, had claimed that he was never ever part of the audit investigation team.
But public documents showed that he was the audit lawyer and had written and informed former PL candidate Joe Cordina and other directors about the fraudulent activity.
The minister said that the Labour Party had constantly tried to cast doubts on different ministers but at the same tried tried to hide the involvement of its financial administrator in the case.
PL STATEMENT
In a statement, the Labour Party said that Mr Fenech today admitted he received a gift from Mr Farrugia.
(The minister denied receiving gifts from Mr Farrugia in today’s press conference but said he had received a handmade clock from his sister-in-law.)
The PL said that two days ago Mr Fenech said that those who accepted gifts from oil traders were part of the Enemalta corruption and yesterday he insisted that he never received a gift from Mr Farrugia.
With his own reasoning, Mr Fenech was part of the Enemalta corruption, the PL said.
It said that, until this morning, Mr Fenech was saying that Mr Farrugia had never been to his house, but today he admitted he did. The minister lied and could not be credible, the party said.
It said that his allegations were an attempt at throwing mud on the eve of the election and the PL would not waste its time on ridiculous attacks.
The PL was to remain focused on families and businesses and on the change of direction the country needed.
FINANCE MINISTRY'S REPLY
In a statement this evening, the Finance Ministry said that Labour was continuing with its series of lies which had characterised the past days.
The minister again categorically denied receiving a gift from Mr Farrugia and said that he had presented a criminal complaint for the police to take action against Evarist Bartolo u Chris Cardona.