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Jason Azzopardi wants Parliament to discuss MEPs' rule of law report
Nationalist Party MP Jason Azzopardi is asking MPs to approve recommendations made by the European Parliament fact-finding mission in a motion presented to the Speaker this afternoon
14 March 2018, 1:45pm
Tia Reljic
Tia Reljic
2 min read
Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi calls for Parliament to analyse and decide in favour of implementing EP fact-finding mission recommendations against money laundering and corruption
In a motion presented to the Speaker of the House, PN MP Jason Azzopardi requested for MPs to agree on implementing 14 of the recommendations put forward by the European Parliament (EP) fact-finding delegation earlier this year.
The report suggests that the European Commission (EC) should respond to the lack of action by the Malta Financial Services Authority in regards to Pilatus Bank and Nexia BT, and calls for the EC to investigate whether Malta is properly implementing directives against money laundering.
Read more: MEPs concerned about rule of law in Malta following fact-finding mission
The MP is also calling for the EC to take note of threats being made by Pilatus and Henley & Partners against Maltese media – specifically through SLAPP lawsuits, and to analyse the impact of the Individual Investor Programme (IIP) which Azzopardi said is allowing for corruption and money laundering.
Read more: Key findings from the European Parliament's report on rule of law in Malta
The report further recommends that Maltese officials involved in corruption and money laundering as revealed by the Panama Papers and FIAU reports be removed from their posts and taken to court.
In fact, the recommendations echoed a number of sentiments expressed following the Panama Papers scandal, FIAU reports, and the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia – including calls for transparency in revealing the names of those who obtained citizenship under the IIP, and a request for the police commissioner to no longer be handpicked by the prime minister.
Read also: Do this, do that… but will Malta take heed of MEPs’ rule of law mission report?
The Whistleblower act should be strengthened, and former FIAU employee Jonathan Ferris should be given more protection, the proposal read.
Azzopardi also reiterated the call for an investigation on the selling of votes prior to the general election.
Read also: Russian woman told MEPs she was not Daphne Caruana Galizia’s ‘original source’ on Egrant
Tia Reljic is a former MaltaToday reporter
