"Dr Alfred Sant has either learnt absolutely nothing in the time he has been at the European Parliament or is intentionally trying to mislead the Maltese people,” the Nationalist Party’s head of delegation to the European Parliament David Casa said today.

Dr Sant could not even convince MEPs within his own political group to back Leo Brincat’s nomination, he said in a statement. “Some of these have been vocal in the media on the matter. These are Socialist MEPs that form part of Malta Labour Party’s political family. Did we force these MEPs to vote the way they did too? To suggest this is deplorable,” he said.

He was replying Dr Alfred Sant’s statement this morning.

"To blame the PN for European parliamentarians having access to the internet and discovering the scandalous state of affairs in Malta where a minister that has set up classic money laundering structures while in office and has retained his post thanks to the support of colleagues like Brincat is bizarre in the extreme.

"If Prime Minister Joseph Muscat proceeds with Brincat’s candidacy it will be an affront to the European Parliament. Your own political group, not just the EPP Group is telling you so. The consequences for Malta’s presidency will be no one’s fault but his own," Mr Casa said. 

In reaction, Alfred Sant, Head of the Labour Delegation at the European Parliament, said that he was taken aback with the "malicious and unfounded allegations that Mr Casa and his friends made on the votes by the Socialists and Democrats at the European Parliament (S&D) on the candidature of Mr Leo Brincat for the European Court of Auditors during the Plenary at the European Parliament."

Dr Sant said that in their vast majority the S&D Group voted in favour of Mr Brincat’s candidature. During the S&D meeting before the Plenary there was a unanimous agreement that the S&D vote would be in favour of Mr Brincat. No one aired any objection to this decision.

Dr Sant said that Gianni Pittella, the Head of the S&D deplored the partisan attitude of the EPP and said that in spite it does not reflect his belief, if the EPP continues to follow this partisan attitude on nominations at the European Parliament, the S&D would be constrained to follow suit.

“I must admit I was surprised with the message issued today by the Leader of the Nationalist Delegation at the European Parliament when he stated that if Mr Leo Brincat pursues his candidature for the European Court of Auditors, this would be an affront to the European Parliament,” said Dr Sant.

“I was surprised for this reason: During the first meeting with the Leader of the Nationalist Delegation at the European Parliament, when we discussed the appointments between Mr Brincat and members of the European Popular Party (EPP) Mr Casa told me:

‘Leo Brincat should not repeat Dr Toni Abela’s “mistake” and should not bind himself with the vote at the European Parliament.’

Dr Sant said that Mr Casa told him that should there be a negative vote in the procedures of the European Parliament, Mr Brincat should make sure to follow his nomination till the very end, pending the decision taken by the Council of Ministers.

“This is what precisely Mr Leo Brincat is doing; he is following Mr Casa’s advice. It is not fair that we say something when we are face to face, and something different when we speak in the public,” said Dr Sant.

In yet another statement, David Casa MEP, the head of the PN Delegation, rejected claims that he ever gave advice to Mr Leo Brincat, the rejected candidate for the Europen Court of Auditors.

In a statement, Mr Casa said: "To suggest that I ever advised Mr Brincat that he should proceed with his candidacy after being rejected by the European Parliament is a blatant lie. As for Dr Alfred Sant’s assertions of unwavering Socialist support - and fully aware that this exchange has already degenerated into a petulant tit-for-tat - I simply refer him to the story carried by The Malta Independent quoting Socialist MEP Ana Gomes. Judging by his surprise he clearly must have missed it."