Finance Minister Edward Scicluna would not comment on the recent 17 Black reports, insisting that any questions about Keith Schembri should be addressed to the Prime Minister.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said in Parliament on Monday that the police had requested an inquiry into the once-secret Dubai company 17 Black.

Asked whether Mr Schembri, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, and Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi should resign now that they were being criminally investigated, Prof. Scicluna refused to comment, insisting he would not be expressing “any opinion whatsoever” on the matter.

“These are factual materials, I have nothing new to add and I am not going to give opinions just to speculate. I’m sorry,” Prof. Scicluna told the Times of Malta.

I am not going to give opinions to speculate

When it was pointed out to him that in an interview prior to last year’s general election, Dr Muscat had said that his chief of staff would resign if “in one way or another he is the subject of any criminal investigation”, Prof. Scicluna insisted that questions on the matter should be put to the Prime Minister.

Pressed further to say if he would have taken any action had he been prime minister when faced with such reports, Prof. Scicluna again directed this newspaper to Joseph Muscat. “Ask the Prime Minister. I am not going to give my own opinion. I have nothing to add,” he replied, walking off.

Watch: 'Keith Schembri is not being investigated' - PM

A joint investigation by the Times of Malta and Reuters found that the Dubai company is owned by power station investor Yorgen Fenech, the CEO of Tumas Group.

Mr Schembri had said in an April statement he had “draft business plans” with 17 Black.

According to a leaked e-mail, Mr Schembri and Dr Mizzi planned to receive payments of $2 million from the Dubai company and another company, Macbridge, whose owner remains unknown.

Dr Muscat has fended off calls for Mr Schembri to step down, telling journalists that it is 17 Black, rather than his chief of staff, which is being investigated. 

The Prime Minister said he did not interfere in Mr Schembri’s business affairs, adding he was informed that his chief of staff had always cooperated with the authorities.

claire.caruana@timesofmalta.com

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