The Labour Party said this evening that the government still had to shoulder political responsibility for the oil procurement scandal.

In a statement the party referred to a statement by the prime minister and said it was no consolation to the people, who were the victims of corruption.

It said the prime minister was trying to evade responsibility by declaring that Mr Tabone was already chairman of Enemalta and MOBC when he was appointed prime minister in 2004, and his term as chairman was not renewed in 2005.

The PL asked what the prime minister was trying to say through such statements. What did he know nine years ago which led to the decision not to renew Mr Tabone’s appointment in 2005?

The whole case took place under Lawrence Gonzi as prime minister and it was minister Austin Gatt who appointed Mr Tabone as Enemalta chairman, the PL said.

Political responsibility for this scandal, the biggest in recent Maltese history, still had to be shouldered, it said.

PN REACTION

In a reaction, the PN noted that Labour was criticising the government after it took action and the police took people to court.

The  government was proving that it showed no mercy when corruption was alleged, the PN said. The PN government battled corruption, wherever it came from and it did not pressure the police not to investigate.

See prime minister's statement at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130219/local/prime-minister-reacts-after-arraignments-over-enemalta-oil-procurement.458308