Energy and Health Minister Konrad Mizzi. Photo: Chris Sant FournierEnergy and Health Minister Konrad Mizzi, who is facing calls to resign over his New Zealand trust and Panama company, failed to give details on his trips abroad.
Questions about how many times he visited Azerbaijan since he became Cabinet minster in March 2013 have not yet been answered.
This newspaper is informed that, in 2014 and 2015, Dr Mizzi travelled to Baku at least three times. On one occasion, he accompanied the Prime Minister in meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
In another visit, Dr Mizzi had meetings with the Azerbaijani Energy Minster and representatives of State energy company Socar. This company is one of the shareholders in the consortium selected by Dr Mizzi’s ministry to build a new gas-fired power plant and supply Enemalta with energy for the next 18 years.
The Times of Malta also asked Dr Mizzi whether he had visited Panama and if so, when. Again, no replies were forthcoming. Re-search by this newspaper shows that despite a number of questions in Parliament soliciting information on Dr Mizzi’s visits abroad, few details were given.
In 2014 and 2015, Dr Mizzi travelled to Baku at least three times. Once, he accompanied the Prime Minister
In questions tabled by Nationalist MPs Kristy Debono and Claudette Buttigieg, Dr Mizzi was asked to lists his visits abroad, including destinations and the name of officials who accompanied him.
Every time, Dr Mizzi replied that the information was still being compiled and would be presented to the House in a later stage.
On two occasions, he submitted lists of government employees who travelled abroad on official business. The lists include officials from various departments falling under ministry including the health department and the energy sector. However, the lists do not shed light on the minster’s travels.