The Labour Party this evening criticized PN MP Jason Azzopardi for “attacking” Malta and its citizenship-for-sale programme in a Facebook post.
In a statement this evening it said that, instead of justifying his actions in the HSBC Valletta property acquisition by the previous administration, Dr Azzopardi was using Facebook to share an article in the Italian media that tries to put Malta’s Individual Investor Programme – which is approved by the European Commission - in bad light.
None of the mainstream media had reported Dr Azzopardi's post until the PL flagged it up this evening.
Jason Azzopardi himself is quoted in the Italian article as saying that the government was prostituting itself. The PL said this was the same argument made by Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil to put off investment coming to Malta through the programme.
His “attack” took place only a few hours after the PL raised a number of questions on his and former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech’s involvement in the purchase of a Valletta property from HSBC for €2.2 million, despite the advice to the contrary by MR Fenech’s Permanent Secretary.
Instead of replying to the questions put to him, Jason Azzopardi and his attack showed that the Opposition had a major negativity problem, the PL said.