The documents tabled in parliament by Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Michael Falzon were taken from the bank’s private internal network, as can be clearly seen from the document URL. Dr Falzon told parliament that the documents in question were public domain.
The bank information – dated 14 July 2015- was either accessed directly by Dr Falzon or passed on to him. Dr Falzon left BOV in April 2014 when he was appointed to the Cabinet.
He benefited from a unique €260,000 early retirement package which was called “a hybrid solution to cater for the unique circumstances involved in the case” by BOV.
The document tabled in Parliament by Dr Falzon clearly shows the information was taken from BOV’s intranet, and appears to be an internal memo bidding farewell to seven employees retiring from the bank. Asked in Parliament by Nationalist MP George Pullicino if the data presented is public, Dr Falzon assured that he knows the rules of bank secrecy.
He said the information is available on BOV’s website. A search on the bank’s website yields no such information. The dates of birth of these seven employees were added on by hand.
Dr Falzon pinpointed two “Nationalist” employees - Michael Borg Costanzi and Jonathan Fenech Adami - who he said had benefitted from a more favourable retirement scheme than he did.
Dr Falzon said in Parliament that the only difference between himself and these two employees is that his is a “Labourite” and they are “Nationalists.”
BOV justified the retirement package given to Dr Falzon after his golden handshake was made public.
It said the main aim was to free Dr Falzon, as a member of government, from any potential conflict of interest when taking executive decisions.
He was also given the opportunity to return to the bank should he lose his position in government.
Dr Falzon’s early retirement request was discussed by REMCO, an internal board headed by the bank’s Chairman John Cassar White with two other appointees: Deo Scerri and Joe Zrinzo Azzopardi. Sources told this newsroom that the internal board concluded, “It is a moral duty for the bank to assist as much as possible a bank employee who is called to give a public service e.g. by serving in a Cabinet.”