PN leader reiterates call for Finance minister's resignation over damning EBA report

Adrian Delia said in light of a damning report by the European Banking Authority into the FIAU, Finance minister Edward Scicluna had no option but to resign in order to salvage his reputation

PN leader Adrian Delia called on Finance minister Edward Scicluna to resign over the damning report
PN leader Adrian Delia called on Finance minister Edward Scicluna to resign over the damning report

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia has called on Finance minister Edward Scicluna to resign over the findings of a European Banking Authority investigation into the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU), and its handling of Pilatus Bank.

Delia said that the report show that the FIAU had not only failed to prevent corruption, but had become the government’s hand in aiding and abetting corruption.

Speaking during a short phone interview on the party’s radio station, NET FM, the Opposition leader said that the report clearly showed that Pilatus Bank was being used for the purpose of money laundering.

“I appeal to minister Edward Scicluna, who until now has maintained a very positive reputation, to shoulder the responsibility and act on the report, if he doesn’t, the Prime Minister must do so,” Delia said. 

READ MORE: Edward Scicluna must shoulder responsibility for damning FIAU report, Opposition says

He said that the EBA had found the FIAU had breached the Anti-Money Laundering directive, adding that, “in a normal western country, this would never have happened”.  

“The PN and the media have been telling Muscat to revoke Pilatus’ bank license for a long time now, and the report has proven us right,” Delia said. 

Delia compared the situation to that of a shop owner that fails to provide VAT receipts, insisting that in the same way that such a person would be prosecuted for doing so, Pilatus Bank also needed to be held to account.

“I fear that the irreparable damage to the country’s reputation is continuing to grow and soon there will not be anything we can do to repair it,” Delia said.