Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia said today that he was never informed that the EU anti-fraud agency had written to former Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit three times, requesting his help on a new investigation about John Dalli.
Replying to Opposition questions in Parliament, he said the first time he knew about them was when Olaf Director-General Giovanni Kessler published a letter he sent to the Speaker last week.
Asked whether the police would henceforth cooperate with Olaf, Dr Mallia said the police would act independently and it was up to them to take whatever actions were necessary and to decide, after legal advice, who to take to court. He would not interfere.
Dr Mallia was giving a statement in Parliament on the appointment of Ray Zammit as Acting Police Commissioner to succeed Peter Paul Zammit.
He announced that plans were in hand for the police force to create a CEO position to focus on administration, enabling the Police Commissioner to focus on crime, public order, training and relations with the public.
Dr Mallia thanked outgoing commissioner Peter Paul Zammit for his service and congratulated Ray Zammit.
He said the government was determined to reform the police force. While progress had been made, the reform needed to be speeded up. One aspect of the reform process had been the appointment of five assistant commissioner for better focus on the various aspects of police work.
Another change would be the introduction of three-year contracts for new senior officers to enable them to prove themselves. The middle-management of the corps would also be strengthened with more superintendents and inspectors.
The administrative and financial administration of the police would be strengthened through he creation of a CEO position.
The police also needed to have a better resourced media relations office.
Over the past months, Dr Mallia said, the police had worked to increase their numbers. Training recruits took more than a year but numbers had been increased through a special constabulary and reinstatements.
The merger of the SAG and the mobile unit into the Rapid Intervention Unit some months ago had been a success, with the officers arriving on the scene of crime within minutes.
PROSECUTIONS UNIT
Dr Mallia said the police were considering the setting up of a Prosecutions Unit with trained officers who would free police inspectors from prosecution work in court.
The police were also considering having regional police stations instead of stations in every village, but some police stations had still been opened, such as at Swieqi and PIeta'.
A new police forensics lab would also be set up to help investigations. There also needed to be more staff to investigate economic crimes. Ultimately, a Police College needed to be set up to train both recruits and serving officers.
Dr Mallia also reiterated the government's commitment to give trade union rights to the members of the police.
He said he hoped the new Acting Commissioner would not find the Opposition obstructions faced by his predecessor in the running of the police force.
OPPOSITION DEMANDS ANSWERS
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the minister had not explained why the government removed Peter Paul Zammit and why Ray Zammit was acting Acting Commissioner and not Commissioner.
He was pleased, however, that the commissioner had come up with something like a roadmap after 16 months.
Dr Busuttil congratulated the Acting Commissioner and promised support, but said the Opposition would do its duty and raise its voice when things which undermined the public's confidence in the police force took place.
The minister had said senior officers would be offered three year contracts. But did this mean that Mr Zammit be acting commissioner for three years?
Dr Busuttil said the time had come to discuss the way how such senior appointments were made, in order to strengthen confidence and transparency, something which did not happen with the appointment of Peter Paul Zammit or the army commander.
Maybe what took place under the PN was not always right, but the time had come to consider new methods. Maybe parliamentary hearings should start being held.
COOPERATION WITH OLAF
The biggest question was why Peter Paul Zammit had been removed. Mr Zammit clearly did not do his duty as expected, as evidenced by various controversies under his watch, including the fact that he stepped down less than a day after Olaf Director-General Giovanni Kessler revealed that the commissioner had not cooperated with Olaf in a new investigation about John Dalli. That was in breach of European law. Had the then commissioner been acting under government direction? Would the minister assume political responsibility for this breach of European law? What was Olaf's new investigation about and why had the police not cooperated after thee requests by Olaf?
Would the minister give an assurance that the new Acting Commissioner would cooperate with Olaf?
Dr Busutil also asked the minister with what authority had Mr Dalli, a consultant of the prime minister, sent a message to Dr Kessler that if he came to Malta, he may be arrested? Was this true? Did the minister agree that Mr Dalli have this authority? Was Jose' Manuel Barroso also liable to be arrested?
Questions were also made by MPs Jason Azzopardi and Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Deborah Schembri.
In his replies, Dr Mallia Dr Mallia said he was not having a discussion on the manner how senior appointments were made.
He said the former commissioner was not removed but he stepped down by mutual agreement because he wished to assume a more administrative role closer to the civil service. He would work under the Office of the Prime Minister under a contract which was still being discussed.
His stepping down had nothing to do with Dr Kessler's letter, Dr Mallia insisted.
Furthermore, Dr Mallia said, he had not known that Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit had received letters from Dr Kessler, and only learnt about them with the publication of Dr Kessler's letter.
As to how the investigation would continue, the police would act independently and it would also decide independently whether to take anyone to court.
Dr Mallia said he was closely following the proceedings in court involving the former Nationalist minister (John Dalli).