Hundreds of files related to theft of electricity have been found in a locked room at the Enemalta offices, with no action having been taken about them, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said this afternoon.

He said the files related to cases between 2006 and 2011. The stolen electricity cost over €2 million.

The minister said 665 files were found in four boxes in the Billing Department.

The people concerned had been found stealing electricity. Investigations were started by Enemalta, the police were called in, electricity meters were replaced, but then no action was taken and those involved were not asked to pay up. Nor was any criminal action taken.

The minister said these files did not relate to consumers who regularised their position after a 2006 legal notice. Some 10% of the files involved commercial properties.

Dr Mizzi described what had taken place as 'obscene and criminal' and said the previous government had turned a blind eye to theft of electricity.

He said the hidden files were discovered after a whistleblower gave him the information.

Enemalta would now study each case and demand payment.  

The minister made the disclosure at a press conference.

He said former minister Tonio Fenech 'should disappear' from politics after having criticised the government for the way it was acting in the tampered meters case where, he said consumers were being asked to pay up, including paying a fine.

On the tampered meters scandal revealed, the minister said that some 200 of the 1000 meters known to have been tampered were in commercial properties.

Enemalta has launched an internal investigation into the case.

Dr Mizzi later also made a statement in parliament about the files.

In a reaction, Opposition deputy leader Mario de Marco said the Opposition condemned all theft of electricity, whenever and wherever it took place.

He did not know why no action had been taken about these files because the former government had never ever decided not to take action against anyone, in contrast to the present government in the tampered meters case. The minister was unfair to criticise Mr Fenech because no one had said that Mr Fenech knew about them.

Furthermore, at the time Enemalta had a CEO who the present government had then appointed to head Air Malta (Louis Giordemaina). Did the present government have confidence in this person?

The bottom line, Dr de Marco said, was that the Opposition would not defend anyone. If no action was taken over those files, that was wrong, but that was not a government decision, in contrast to the present government, which had itself decided not to take court action against consumers who benefited from tampered meters.

The Opposition condemned whoever left those files to gather dust.

Opposition spokesman George Pullicino said that if Enemalta officials had failed in their duties, they should be held personally liable.

During a stormy exchange, Nationalist MPs Tonio Fenech, George Pullicino and Mario de Marco protested that the minister was implying that they knew about theft of electricity and had done nothing about it, inclduign that these files should be put away.

They insisted this was not true and called on the minister to retract his statements.

When the minister refused, the Nationalist MPs requested a ruling by the Speaker and said the minister should be 'named' (suspended).

The sitting was then suspended for the Acting Speaker, Censu Galea, to listen to a recording.

When the sitting resumed some two hours later, Mr Galea asked the minister to clarify his comments. He should explain whether he was referring to personal or political responsibility when he said "you put them in a box....".

The minister said he will resume his remarks tomorrow.

Dr de Marco said the Opposition did not want anyone suspended from the house but wanted to see MPs speak with honesty.

Dr Mizzi said the government had every right to say that the previous government had not acted on these cases of theft of electricity and his freedom of expression should not be stifled. He said his comments should be seen in the context of what they were said, including the many interruptions of his speech.

Dr de Marco said the Opposition condemned any theft of electricity and anybody who did not act to stop such theft. However if was wrong of Dr Mizzi to give the impression that there was some political direction to stop  action against theft.