Brussels yesterday dismissed John Dalli’s claims that José Manuel Barroso used two weights and two measures when he sacked him but retained Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, accused of tax evasion.
“This is like mixing apples with pears,” the European Commission President’s spokeswoman said.
In view of new accusations against the Belgian commissioner, which go back to 2005, Mr Dalli issued a statement on Sunday accusing Mr Barroso of treating him differently.
But, to the Commission, Mr Dalli’s claims are completely unjustified because it says the two cases had nothing in common.
This is like mixing apples with pears
“Mr De Gucht’s case is a private matter that involves the payment of tax by his family to the Belgian authorities.
“It happened in 2005 when Mr De Gucht was not a member of the Commission and is completely unrelated to his work in the EU Executive or his portfolio,” Mr Barroso’s spokeswoman told Times of Malta.
“On the other hand, everyone knows the circumstances surrounding Mr Dalli’s case and his resignation,” she said.
Mr Barroso demanded Mr Dalli’s resignation as European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs last year following an internal inquiry by OLAF – the EU’s anti-fraud office – over allegations of bribes to influence changes to the EU’s tobacco legislation.
Although the report did not find any proof of wrongdoing by Mr Dalli, it concluded there was “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” he was aware of what was going on.
Mr Dalli has always denied these claims.
Following Mr Dalli’s resignation, his former canvasser, Silvio Zammit, was charged with bribery but Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit said a few weeks after his appointment earlier this year there was not enough evidence to charge Mr Dalli.
This statement was contradicted by his predecessor, John Rizzo, who told the court he was planning to arraign Mr Dalli but could not as the latter had been unfit to travel to Malta from Brussels.
Mr Rizzo was removed from office soon after Labour came to power last March.
Mr De Gucht faces allegations of defrauding about €900,000 in tax over a share transaction he and his wife made when she was a practising business lawyer.
Claiming persecution by the tax authorities, Mr De Gucht is fighting the case in the Belgian courts.
According to his spokeswoman: “President Barroso has been informed by the commissioner over this case a long time ago and Mr De Gucht has assured the president that there was no wrongdoing on his side.
“This also marks a difference with the case of Mr Dalli.”
Last month, the Commission said OLAF had started a fresh investigation into undeclared trips to the Bahamas by Mr Dalli and advice he gave to charity organisations while he was in office.
The commissioners’ code of ethics precludes members of the EU Executive from doing any private business, even on a voluntary basis.
Mr Dalli again denied any wrongdoing and insisted he was trying to help set up a charity fund to help the poor.