The head of the PN delegation in the European Parliament, MEP David Casa, told this newsroom that he will be willing to help former Minister Leo Brincat in his bid to join the European Court of Auditors, however “It is fundamental that there is no interference from persons who have no business lobbying in the European Parliament.”
Asked to state who he had in mind, the PN MEP replied, "The selection of certain members of Toni Abela’s lobbying team was misguided and may have harmed his chances considerably. My suggestion is that this mistake not be repeated.”
While Mr Casa points his finger at ‘certain members of Dr Abela’s team’ when asked what went wrong with Toni Abela’s hearing, he replied that it’s “very simple – he didn’t perform well.” According to Mr Casa, there is the lobbying effort that is done before but the actual hearing is crucial. "The preparation is important but the hearing must go well. We have also seen the need for a greater focus that must be carried out properly in order to succeed,” he insisted.
Asked whether the PN played fiddle to the tune but tarnished Dr Abela’s reputation behind closed doors, Mr Casa took exception to the question and retaliated: “As you know Dr Alfred Sant thanked me for my contribution to the lobbying effort. I’ll leave it to you to decide who you want to believe,” he said.
“My involvement was restricted and limited,” he said. “I introduced Toni Abela to specific MEPs after being requested to do so by Alfred Sant – and I did no more and no less than as requested.” This newsroom pointed out that if by admission his role is limited, how can he pose conditions? “My potential involvement is limited – ensuring a successful hearing outcome is certainly not my job. Nevertheless, I have had conversations with Alfred Sant and have agreed to reach out to my contacts, but only if certain conditions are met.”
Mr Brincat is currently touring the EP to lobby for support before the hearing. He is working hard to avoid the embarrassment his colleague Toni Abela was made to endure during his grilling exercise. Asked what should be expected for Leo Brincat’s hearing, Mr Casa said “it will invariably be dominated by the Panama papers and the details of damning revelations with respect to Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi culminating in Leo Brincat’s vote to protect these individuals. The Court of Auditors is an institution set up to fight fiscal corruption,” he said.
“While a segment of the Maltese public may still be giving Mizzi, Schembri and by association the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt there is no such impression in European circles where there is no doubt that the manoeuvres being made were illicit and completely unacceptable. Leo Brincat will find it hard to convince committee members that he will be committed to the raison d’etre of the Court of Auditors when he has so recently failed so miserably at home,” concluded Mr Casa.