The two MEPs did not dwell too much on the conclusions of the OLAF report, which was published two weeks ago.

However, they dismissed its findings as a far cry from the damning claims made by OLAF director general Giovanni Kessler in October, when he said there was “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” suggesting that Mr Dalli knew his former canvasser Silvio Zammit was asking for a €60 million bribe in his name.

The bribe was allegedly asked from tobacco company Swedish Match in return for the lifting of the ban on snus, a type of tobacco produced by the company which can only be sold in Sweden under present EU rules.

Mr Staes said the two were not in Malta to defend Mr Dalli, who Mr Bové described as a political adversary with whom he had fought over the Commission’s decisions on genetically modified food.

However, they both argued that the OLAF report had really managed to pin nothing on Mr Dalli despite a seemingly biased investigation that from the outset appeared to be bent on proving his involvement in the matter.

“The only thing Dalli did wrong,” Mr Bové said, “is to have had a meeting with Ms Kimberley on January 6, 2012, in which she gave him a document making the case for lifting the ban on snus and this meeting was not registered as it should have been according to the rules of transparency.”

However, he added that if this criterion were applied, then Mr Barroso himself would have to go, as would the Commission general secretary Catherine Day and the former head of the legal services Michel Petite, who were all known to have had such informal meetings with tobacco lobbyists.

“So what do we have here? One set of rules for Dalli and one for Barroso and Day?” he asked.

“They always said when you see the report... we saw the report and there was nothing. The only thing was the role of Mr Petite – who now works for legal firm that works for Phillip Morris.”

Mr Staes pointed out that Mr Barroso had only once addressed the heads of the political families in the European Parliament and had so far failed to appear before the budget committee.

“I think it’s about time Barroso breaks his silence. What if the courts now say that Dalli is innocent? Dalli will sue and who will pay? Barroso? Kessler? No, taxpayers, and this isn’t acceptable.”­

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