Economy Minister Chris Cardona’s chief of staff was involved in an altercation with the police on May 1 after he was prevented from accessing a restricted zone during Labour’s mass meeting in Valletta.
Labour Party sources present at the scene told the Times of Malta that a more serious incident was avoided through the intervention of other party supporters. They calmed the situation and took Mario Azzopardi away as he yelled at the police, according to witnesses.
The incident happened in Merchants Street, Valletta, where two police officers were manning a gate that led backstage at the Labour May Day activity.
Labour officials said Mr Azzopardi arrived at the gate with a group of men and told the police officers to let them inside the restricted zone where the Prime Minister and his family were seated.
Do you know who you’re speaking to?
The officers manning the gate refused, as Mr Azzopardi and his group were not wearing tags allowing them access.
Pointing at the two young constables, Mr Azzopardi said at the top of his voice: “Do you know who you are speaking to?”
Asking his friends to follow him and ignore the police officers, Mr Azzopardi told the constables: “I’m the chief of staff of the deputy leader. So make way. I’m Chris Cardona’s second-in-command and no one orders me around.”
Despite Mr Azzopardi’s insistence, the two officers stood their ground and told Mr Azzopardi that he was not allowed in without a tag.
As the situation escalated, other Labour supporters intervened, asking Mr Azzopardi to calm down and let the police do their work.
As he departed, Mr Azzopardi turned to the policemen and said he would meet them again after the election.
Asked whether he was aware of the incident and for his reaction to it, Dr Cardona did not reply.
Since his appointment as the minister’s right-hand man, the Labour Party stalwart from Birkirkara has been in the news a number of times.
Back in 2015, Dr Cardona appointed an 18-year-old as the sole director of a new government security company, Fort Security Services. It later emerged that the young director, Karl Cutajar, was Mr Azzopardi’s nephew.
In 2016, Mr Azzopardi, who owns two clothing shops in Birkirkara, found his car in flames when he emerged from Stables Bar in Sappers Street, Valletta. The police are still investigating the case.
Earlier this year, Mr Azzopardi took the blame for an extravagant €756 bill for alcoholic beverages during a three-day ministerial visit to Dubai.
The controversial bill was flagged in an audit carried out by the National Audit Office. Mr Azzopardi said that most of the alcohol – nearly €400 worth – was consumed from his hotel room’s minibar and not from Dr Cardona’s.
He said he was refunding the money.
Before joining Dr Cardona’s ministry, Mr Azzopardi served as the chief canvasser for long-standing Labour MP Joe Debono Grech.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com