Economy Minister and PL deputy leader Chris Cardona should resign for drinking up to €758 worth of alcohol funded by taxpayers during an official visit to Dubai, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil insisted today.
Speaking during an interview on Radio 101, Dr Busuttil pointed out that what Dr Cardona’s spent on alcohol during the two-day trip was more than the minimum wage.
Dr Busuttil said everyone was ridiculing the minister for his behaviour, in what was a clear case of resignation.
“He emptied out a mini-bar. He should resign immediately. This is unacceptable behaviour, the government is being ridiculed. Joseph Muscat has lost all moral authority,” Dr Busuttil insisted.
The Opposition leader said the Prime Minister’s inaction over the Panama scandal meant he was unable to take any action against his ministers for their transgressions.
He said Dr Cardona’s spending on alcohol was only made know thanks to a random check by the Auditor General.
He called on the Prime Minister to investigate all of Dr Cardona’s spending on alcohol during official visits.
Turning to Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, Dr Busuttil reminded that the minister was adamant Konrad Mizzi should have resigned over the Panama scandal.
Dr Busuttil called on Mr Bartolo to practice what he preached by handing in his own resignation after his canvasser was embroiled in corruption allegations by the former CEO of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools.
The Opposition leader accused Mr Bartolo of keeping the corruption allegations under wraps.
Dr Busuttil said Joseph Muscat government would always be remembered for its corruption.
On the power station, Dr Busuttil appealed to the Environment Resources Authority (ERA) to defend people’s interests when taking the decision whether to approve the gas power station’s operational permit tomorrow.
He appealed to individual members of the ERA board to decide in the interests of the Maltese population, and not in the interest of the Prime Minister who appointed them.
The Opposition leader said ERA Chairman Victor Axiaq should walk away from tomorrow’s decision if he felt the government was applying undue pressure on the authority for the permit’s approval.
He also appealed to university rector Alfred Vella, who also sits on the ERA board, not to allow the Prime Minister to “use” him.
Dr Busuttil said there were still too many unanswered questions about the power station and the safety of the gas tanker.
He hailed engineer Arthur Ciantar for filing a judicial protest calling on the ERA not to approve the permit.
Dr Busuttil slammed the government for using the Department of Information (DOI) to issue a statement in which it “attacked” Mr Ciantar, who is a private individual.