[WATCH] Busuttil questions Speaker’s intentions over fuel inquiry, chauffeur denies irregularity

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has told the press his chauffeur has denied any irregularities after Parliament launched an investigation into “discrepancies” its accounts section found between fuel consumed and mileage reported for the official car used by the PN leader.

The investigation is now the subject of a magisterial inquiry after the parliamentary accounts office referred the matter to the police.

Busuttil told a media conference that he didn’t know what the magisterial inquiry was trying to establish, although the Clerk of House had contacted his office two weeks ago requesting information on the use of his car.

“I was surprised to learn of the magisterial inquiry through the grapevine and I would have expected the Speaker to at least inform me,” Busuttil said, telling reporters that questions on the matter itself should be made to Speaker of the House, Anglu Farrugia.

The revelations come a day after Busuttil launched his good governance pledge, a set of 109 proposals aimed at reforming the political landscape.

But Farrugia told MaltaToday that he learned of the inquiry following a letter which Busuttil himself sent him, during which he requested that his driver be suspended.

Asked what sort of responsibility he would shoulder in view of the involvement of his driver, Busuttil reiterated that the accusation wasn’t clear. He said that he never exceeded the allowance he was entitled to.

The car of the leader of the Opposition is supplied by Parliament, which pays the driver’s salary and fuel allowance. Parliament is directly billed by a petrol station. Busuttil said he couldn’t remember the name of the petrol station, which was mentioned in correspondence that passed between his office and Parliament.

He said that the PN had fully collaborated with the office in all information requested by parliament.

Stopping short of calling it “revenge”, Busuttil insisted that it was “a strange coincidence” that he learned of the magisterial inquiry a day after the PN launched its report on good governance, during which “[he] made such a strong statement.”

“It also comes a week after the Opposition came out strongly against a ruling given last week by the Speaker,” he said, referring to the ruling on the incident between Joe Debono Grech and Marlene Farrugia.

Labour reaction

Earlier, the Labour Party insisted that Busuttil shoulders responsibility for having chosen his driver himself. “He’s a person he trusts, and is therefore responsible for a serious error of judgement,” the PL said, gloating about the timing of the incident, 24 hours after the PN’s good governance pledge.

“Busuttil has been caught in a serious case of fraud of public funds, which he had known about for a number of days. These are the only public funds Busuttil is responsible for. Had it been [Labour], Busuttil would already be demanding a resignation. His double standards undermine his institutional role. He must carry full political responsibility.”

In a counter-statement, the PN said Busuttil had shown that politics was based on setting a good example, evidence by the suspension of his driver. "Muscat had not taken any action against parliamentary secretary Ian Borg, whose resignation is being demanded by environmental NGOs.... Busuttil is transparency and decides, while Muscat defends those investigated over corruption."