Jason Azzopardi’s comments to Politico ‘unjustifiable’, Speaker rules

Speaker Anglu Farrugia has rapped Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi over comments he had given Politico criticising the governments decision not to back an EU proposal for the establishment of a European prosecutor’s office.

Delivering a ruling, following a request by justice minister Owen Bonnici, Farrugia said that Azzopardi’s criticism was “unjustifiable” given that Parliament had unanimously agreed not to back the EU proposal back in 2013.

Azzopardi told Politico earlier this month that the government’s decision was “no surprise at all”, given its “vested interest not to fight corruption or money-laundering”. He was referring to revelations that minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri own offshore Panama companies.

However, Bonnici argued it was unacceptable for Opposition MPs to try and tarnish Malta’s reputation in foreign media, particularly over a stance that both parties had jointly agreed to.

Azzopardi told MaltaToday that Bonnici’s request to the Speaker to investigate his comments to Politico was “bewildering and shocking” and a sign that the government is trying to silence all its critics.

In his ruling, Farrugia noted how Opposition Francis Zammit Dimech had told the foreign affairs committee a few years back that the PN agreed with the government’s decision not to back the proposal, as it could clash with the Attorney’s General’s role and goes against the principle of subsidiarity enshrined in the Constitution.

“Although Azzopardi had every right to speak to Politico, I refer him to the foreign affairs committee meetings in 2013 during which govrnment and Opposition agreed on a common stance,” Farrugia said. “In this context, Azzopardi’s comment that the government’s decision not to back the proposal because it has a vested interest not to fight corruption was unjustifiable.

“I will not give a position on Azzopardi’s comments, but only state that the government’s decision was in line with with Parliament had unanimously agreed upon.”

The European Council this month decided to allow countries to proceed with the creation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, despite the lack of unanimous support from member states.

If the proposal gets the approval of at least nine governments and the European Parliament, the Prosecutor’s Office will be able to investigate and prosecute corruption and fraud involving EU funds in those countries, as well as cross-border VAT fraud.

European justice commissioner Vera Jourova confirmed that 19 countries are set to “establish quickly” the new agency and that the other member states will be free to join at any time they wish.