MaltaToday report on Adrian Delia’s business interests provokes livid reaction

The prospective candidate for the PN’s leadership Adrian Delia has taken umbrage at a report in MaltaToday which attempted to list his business interests – as yet undeclared.

In a statement that took to task the journalist personally, Delia reacted to a report of his business relationship with Simon Busuttil’s former brother-in-law by claiming it was a ‘malicious attack’ on Busuttil and him.

Delia confused a news report on the police intervention into the public altercation between Eucharist and Diane Bajada, Busuttil’s sister, into an “attack” on Busuttil’s family.

A simple search on Malta’s companies register shows that Delia is a company shareholder with Eucharist Bajada, a detail that was not given any importance so far in the campaign.

Delia has so far insisted he has been “through a process of due diligence” by both Maltese and Austrian banks, and has set much store by the fact that his nomination was green-lit by the PN’s electoral commission.

But he has only committed himself to make a full declaration of assets and business if he is “given the privileged of being elected leader”.

Instead of taking the opportunity to make a transparent declaration of business interests, Delia – who is assisted in his campaign by the Malta Independent’s director of content Pierre Portelli [read here Portelli’s comment not ruling out a secretary-general bid] – spun the report and accused MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan of “favouring other candidates”.

Delia’s statement goes a bit further in fluffing up the aggravation at the report: “Our adversaries will keep using public funds to influence our party agenda. We cannot allow this and who attacks or sullies the PN without reason will have to answer for his actions,” Delia said.

MaltaToday report

Delia appears as a minority shareholder with PN leader Simon Busuttil’s former brother-in-law, Eucharist Bajada Jnr in the company Frankef Limited, and as director with him in the company Chris, Nicholas & Associates Company Limited. Delia is also a shareholder with Bajada senior in Patience Developments Limited.

Bajada was formerly the husband of Busuttil’s sister Diane, the fractious couple having made the headlines last year in a public altercation. Bajada had called the police after alleging his ex-wife had broken into his house, together with her father, beating up his 60-year-old maid and stealing files and computers, before attacking him and a lady friend of his as they arrived home. Her parting shot was throwing a large potted plant on his Mercedes. Later in court, the two sides agreed to bury the hatchet.

Adrian Delia is also involved with Mgarr Developments Ltd as a shareholder and director together with Aequitas Legal partner Georg Sapiano, and the Gozitan company Island Developments Ltd, also involved in construction.

Delia has admitted on TVM’s Xtra Sajf that he was involved as a 9% shareholder in a company that was limited to a redevelopment project.

Delia is also involved with his wife Nicole and Tonio Debono in Carnaby Limited, a company dealing with the importation of high quality wines.

Adrian Delia has so far committed to make a declaration of assets only if he is elected. A partner in the legal firm Aequitas with former PN candidate Georg Sapiano, the predecessor firm Sapiano & Associates had received some €890,000 in legal contracts by successive PN administrations according to parliamentary answers. One of the major awards by direct order was linked to a new proposed route system for the public bus company Arriva – the contract was worth €333,000.