Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this evening reiterated that PN deputy leader Mario de Marco’s position was unsustainable and no longer tenable.
Interviewed on One TV this evening, Dr Muscat also reiterated that the necessary political decisions about the Panama scandal would be taken - but only when all the possible facts were made known.
Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi and Dr Muscat’s chief of staff Keith Schembri have been implicated in the scandal having set up companies in Panama attempted to set up bank accounts in nine countries.
Dr Muscat accused the Opposition of using double standards, criticising the government about the Panama Papers but coming up with a loan scheme, which although not illegal, was certainly not correct.
“No one is saying that any law was broken in the Panama scandal,” Dr Muscat said.
On Dr de Marco he said that MaltaToday published a story last Sunday which showed that when he was minister responsible for the planning authority, Dr de Marco had work carried out at his house for which he did not pay.
He only requested an invoice only when the contractor’s name was published in the papers in connection with the Panama scandal.
“This is not credible. If what he said was true he would not have requested invoice, not even now.”
He also praised Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg for tabling this evening the invoices, payments and terms of engagement for works carried out on his properties in the Rabat countryside.
PLAYMOBIL INVESTMENT
He also spoke about a €30 million project launched by Playmobil this afternoon, a project which, he said, was creating 200 new jobs. This, Dr Muscat said, showed that investors had confidence in the government and would continue to invest. More investment would also be announced in the coming days.
IT IS MUSCAT'S POSITION THAT IS UNTENABLE - PN
In a statement, the Nationalist Party said it was Dr Muscat’s position that was not tenable. For instead of immediately taking decisions, he strongly defended Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri.
He had to be a hypocrite to expect everyone to resign except him - criticising Dr de Marco for using the services of a company also used by Dr Borg, whom he defended.
The more Dr Muscat spoke, the more he was losing his credibility, the PN said.