In the Press: Finance Minister announced probe into tax fraud following second Panama Papers data leak

MaltaToday

The newspaper speaks to finance minister Ewdard Scicluna who said that tax authorities would open a probe to see if the latest Panama Paper leaks links any Maltese taxpayers to aggravated tax fraud. This comes days after the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released date that revealed 714 companies linked to Malta listed on the Panama Papers database. Before the release of the date, Scicluna claims he had requested the same date directly from the ICIJ through tax authorities and the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit.

Times of Malta

Letters to HSBC dated May 2013 that were issued on behalf of Labour Chief of Staff Keith Schembri and head of Kasco Group Malcom Scerri, were sent to the Attard branch 15 months after it had stopped operations. These letters were used in connection with the opening of companies in tax havens, and were clearly directed to the Attard branch. However, HSBC upheld its duty to refrain from sharing any information about its clients.

L-Orizzont

The European Trade Union Confederation (EUTC) is proposing that student apprenticeships should be paid according to a collective agreement or else by minimum wage. This is not what the current situation in Malta looks like, with apprentices taking courses at MCAST being paid a total of €433 a month, whereas minimum wage would be €728. Interestingly enough, MCAST principal Stephen Cachia insists that he disagrees with the proposal. Ignoring a petition being collected by MCAST students, he claims that education is not ‘work’.

In-Nazzjon

The newspaper takes a cultural detour, reporting Malta’s win at yesterday’s Eurovision song contest semi-final in Stockholm, Sweden. Being the last singer to be announced as having made it, Ira Losca will now be performing this Saturday in the 18th place.

The Malta Independent

The newspaper reports the Nationalist party’s reaction to the involvement of PN MP Tonio Fenech in the Panama Papers scandal. The PN has stressed that Fenech is fully in line with the Parliamentary code of ethics, and that the MP does not own a company himself but, as an accountant and financial advisor by profession, he simply offers his services to clients.