The Opposition has made a formal request to the auditor general (see pdf link below) to investigate allegations of corruption surrounding the issuing of visas from the Maltese consulate in Algeria.

PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said the request was being made in view of the government’s continued silence in response to the issuing of 6,781 visas between March 2014 and September 2015, and allegations that applicants were asked to pay extra fees to speed up the process.

Among other issues, the auditor is being asked to investigate whether the Prime Minister, the foreign affairs minister, and the Maltese police were aware of abuses within the consulate.

The office is also asked to examine how the Maltese consul, a relative of the Prime Minister, and consul staff were appointed, whether they had the necessary consultations, and whether a public call was made.

Dr Fenech Adami also questioned whether Air Malta was “servicing a scam”, following suggestions that the national airline operated packed flights from Algeria to Malta which returned practically empty.

“We have information of people booking hotels in Malta and never showing up. Under everyone’s noses, people are arriving in Malta early in the morning and leaving for Paris later that same day. This is not in the spirit of the rigorous regulations under which Schengen is supposed to operate.”

Also addressing the press this morning, party spokesman Francis Zammit Dimech stressed the need to protect Malta’s international reputation and highlighted that the situation raised security questions for all of Europe.

He also dismissed the government’s response that none of the applicants had been flagged under the Schengen Information System, which allows interested states to raise objections to the issuing of a visa.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that this system did not absolve the responsibility of the border country to carry out all necessary checks and ensure that visa applicants returned to their home country once their visa expired.

Dr Fenech Adami said last week that planes from Algiers were coming to Malta full but returning empty, an indication that those coming to Malta were moving on in Europe. 

In a reaction to today's announcement, the government said it welcomed the investigation, but it insisted that if the Opposition had any information of wrongdoing, it should hand it to the police, and not simply make allegations.

It also criticised the Opposition for playing the political game and making the request today, as the prime minister started his visit to Algiers.