Silvio Schembri’s reliance on statement by disgraced journalist raises red flag

Economy Minister Silvio Schembri is refusing to engage in public on a controversial declaration he produced by disgraced journalist Ivan Camilleri when contesting a magisterial inquiry request. 

Camilleri’s declaration was intended to ‘exonerate’ Schembri from wrongdoing in relation to several critical news reports the former had penned for The Shift News. 

The existence of this declaration was confirmed by Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici in his ruling that refuted lawyer Jason Azzopardi’s request for an inquiry into what he described as Schembri’s unexplained wealth. Azzopardi has appealed the ruling. 

But when contacted by MaltaToday to clarify the circumstances around Camilleri’s declaration, Schembri insisted he will only speak in court. 

“Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici’s decree refusing [Jason] Azzopardi’s request for an inquiry clearly states that this process should not take the form of a public discussion because it can have serious consequences. This is why I will say what I have to say in court. After the process ends, I will be at liberty to speak,” Schembri replied. 

Azzopardi’s inquiry request was based on a series of articles that appeared in news portals, particularly The Shift News. 

The reports in The Shift were not signed and had flagged potential conflicts of interest between Schembri’s role as minister responsible for the Lands Authority and the leasing of offices for his personal constituency work from major developers, who acquired public land for development purposes. 

But Schembri’s decision to use Camilleri’s declaration that he was satisfied by the minister’s explanation raised a red flag. The news reports had not been signed – no one knew Camilleri was their author – and none of the articles have since been amended or retracted to reflect what the journalist declared in his statement. 

The Shift’s editor Caroline Muscat has even confirmed that no retraction or amendment has been requested by the minister. 

Who approached who? 

MaltaToday asked the minister whether it was he who approached Camilleri to make the declaration, or whether it was the journalist who offered to do so. This newspaper also asked when the declaration was made and why the minister did not insist that the news reports on The Shift – some of which were published more than a year ago – be amended to reflect Camilleri’s apparent change of heart. Schembri was also asked whether he paid Camilleri to make the declaration. 

This newspaper received no replies to the above questions. Instead, the minister noted that the questions were similar to those that were being asked by Jason Azzopardi in his appeal. He also suggested that Azzopardi had handed MaltaToday a copy of the appeal before Schembri was formally notified. 

This newspaper did report on Azzopardi’s appeal on Friday but will not reveal its sources. 

A controversial past 

MaltaToday also asked Camilleri whether it was him or the minister who made the first move and why none of the stories that he penned for The Shift were amended to reflect the new state of affairs. This newspaper also asked whether any money exchanged hands. Camilleri’s response was a one-liner, reflecting animosity towards Jason Azzopardi: “I agree with your boss Salvu Balzan that Jason is a big liar.” 

Camilleri has a controversial past as a journalist. When still at Times of Malta, his name cropped up in court testimony as the person who had tipped off Yorgen Fenech of his impending arrest in relation to the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. Camilleri was dismissed by the newspaper following the incident. He also lost two libel cases against MaltaToday and Illum in relation to articles that reported the tip-off. 

No amendment to articles requested 

Meanwhile, when contacted for this report, Caroline Muscat, founder and editor of The Shift, said that no factual errors have been shown to exist in the portal’s stories and none have been amended. 

“No retraction or amendment has even been requested. We always publish on the basis of facts as they are known and made known to us,” she said. “When and if factual errors are pointed out, this will inform our reporting going forward. If appropriate, published work may be added to in order to give the story proper context. I emphasise that no errors have been made known to us in this case.” 

Asked whether as editor, she was aware or endorsed Camilleri’s statement absolving the minister, Muscat said the journalist is not an employee of The Shift but a freelance writer, who contributes to the news portal. 

“As such, he is not obliged to consult with me or inform me about who he is meeting or what he is working on. The articles he submits are evaluated for publication on a case-by-case basis following verification of facts. I am not aware of what he said to the magistrate and whether this ‘absolved the minister of any alleged wrongdoing’. As far as I know, the record of such matters is confidential and as such only Mr Camilleri knows what he said.  Consequently, I am unable to endorse or reject what he said or, obviously, comment on whether it ‘absolves’ the minister concerned.”