Gozo Minister Anton Refalo has confirmed that his road licence was expired when he was involved in a traffic accident in March but laid the blame on the General Workers Union’s insurance company, with whom his car is insured.
The PN has called for Dr Refalo’s resignation after reports that the Minister was involved in an accident while driving an “uninsured and unlicensed” car. Dr Refalo’s car collided with a vehicle that was being driven by a police officer. No one was hurt in the accident.
In comments to this paper, the minister said his insurance was in fact fully paid up. “The Minister was at all times covered by an insurance policy so much so that he himself called the police right after the incident. The day after the minor traffic accident, the police informed Dr Refalo that his road licence was not renewed. It transpired that this was a mishap from the insurance company,” a spokesperson for Dr Refalo said.
“Minister Refalo had only driven his personal vehicle on that evening, since he is usually driven by his drivers. His insurance, Untours Insurance, was duly paid by cheque on Thursday 10th March 2016, prior to the minor traffic accident.”
The Nationalist Party has cried foul over the incident and demanded the minister’s resignation which, it said, he had kept hidden for a month. It drew a parallel to a similar case involving Samuel Azzopardi, who has suspended himself from the post of Victoria Mayor after he was involved in a collision. According to media reports, Dr Azzopardi refused a breathalyser test at the scene of the incident. He later apologised, saying he was under shock
In a letter to PN Secretary General Rosette Take, Dr Azzopardi said: “I feel I have to suspend myself from the PN… as a public person I am subjected to more scrutiny than a private person.”