Nationalist MP exhibits Yorgen Fenech emails to anti-corruption commission

Nationalist MP Karl Aquilina presented evidence and testimony before the Permanent Commission Against Corruption on Tuesday after requesting a formal investigation into the bribery allegations in the Marsa Junction tender.

Aquilina testified before the Permanent Commission against Corruption on Wednesday to give details on bribery claims linked to the Marsa flyover project.

The Nationalist MP presented a copy of an email sent by Robert Yildirim to Yorgen Fenech on 22 January 2019. Yildirim is a Turkish billionaire whose group of companies runs the Malta Freeport Terminals.

A screenshot of the email exchange between Yildirim and Fenech

In this email, Yildirim asks Fenech what he plans on telling the Court and mentions bribery. “What will you tell the court? Bribing someone but no payment,” he wrote in the email.

The email is connected to the tender for the Marsa Junction project, which was originally won by Turkish company Ayhanlar Yol Asfaltlama. It was later assigned to Shining Star Infrastructure & Construction Co. Limited.

In his email, Yildirim is referring to a contract involving New Energy Supply Limited and Wings Investments, both of which are registered in the United Arab Emirates. Both companies belong to Yorgen Fenech.

Times of Malta revealed earlier this month that Yorgen Fenech was promised a €2 million success fee from Ayhanlar Yol Asfaltlama to help the company win the Marsa tender.  Half of the money was to be sent to New Energy Supply Limited, while the other half was to be wired to Wings Investments. Wings Investments is the sister company of Fenech’s 17 Black account.

Ayhanlar won the tender in 2018 but was riddled with financial issues in the weeks before it was awarded the contract. It was Yildirim who suggested that bribery could have helped Ayhanlar to win the contract.  

Aquilina encouraged anyone with information on this tender to bring forward their information to the anti-corruption commission.