Updated 10.30am
Banners that had been put up in Luqa and in Marsa welcoming a European Parliament delegation to Malta - signed Keith, were removed by unknown persons as the MEPs arrived early this morning.
The EP delegation is on a fact finding mission to follow up on the resolution adopted earlier this month expressing concerns on the rule of law on the island.
The seven strong delegation, with MEPs coming from the six largest political groups of the EP, will seek to gather information on the situation of rule of law in the country, and the systems in place for the implementation, oversight and compliance with anti-money laundering rules and bank regulations.
Photo: Mark Zammit CordinaThe delegation has asked to meet with members of the government, including the Prime Minister and the justice minister, the Attorney General, the Chief Justice, representatives of the country’s financial intelligence unit, the chief of police, NGOs active in the field of the rule of law and fighting corruption, the financial services authority, and financial intermediaries, including Pilatus Bank.
This is the second time that a fact-finding MEP delegation triggered by the Panama Papers will be in Malta.
During the first visit, Mr Schembri had refused to meet the delegation however, head of delegation Werner Langen had subsequently been handed “confidential documents” while walking down St Paul’s Street in Valletta by a messenger sent by Mr Schembri himself.
The documents included a letter which was a reply by the chief of staff to the invitation sent to him a month before, in which Mr Schembri questioned the committee’s mandate to carry out such an investigation.
At the end of this week's meeting on Friday, the Chair of the delegation, Ana Gomes, will hold a press conference at the offices of the European Parliament in Valletta.
Once back in Brussels, a report containing the delegation’s findings will be drafted.