The Ministry of Education said this evening that Joseph Muscat's call for Education Minister Dolores Cristina to resign was a political game which was not based on fact.

The ministry referred to comments made this morning by Dr Muscat and insisted that the minister was never informed that there was a danger that EU funding for the education programmes Youth in Action and Lifelong learning could be suspended.

The inquiry report issued last week made it clear that the issue of the suspension of funds was never raised to the political level and the minister was therefore never informed.

The ministry said that the November meeting attended by Mrs Cristina, mentioned by Dr Muscat this morning, was called by the Cabinet Secretary to discuss recommendations made by the Internal Audit and Investigations Department, which was a Malta government department. During the meeting it emerged that those recommendations were already being implemented.

There was no mention of any possibility or concern that the EU programmes could be suspended. Therefore, the ministry said, Dr Muscat's call for Mrs Cristina to resign was a political game which was not based on fact.

The Labour Party, in a reaction to the statement, said it was difficult to believe Mrs Cristina, especially in view of the November meeting, just as it was difficult to believe that the prime minister was not told about allegations made to an official in his office about attempted corruption in the privatisation of the superyachts facility.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100606/local/pls-biggest-achievement-in-past-two-years-was-unity-muscat