Prime Minister Joseph Muscat will not be taking any immediate action to remove Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi or OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri after the latest revelations regarding 17 Black.
The Malta Independent sent a number of questions to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his aides.
This newsroom highlighted that more concrete evidence of Schembri and Mizzi’s intentions to use their Panama companies for private business emerged, and asked whether he will be removing Konrad Mizzi from his ministerial post and from the Labour Party, and whether he will call on Mizzi to resign as an MP. Muscat was also asked whether he will be removing Keith Schembri from every government post, and if the above answers were to the negative, what more he requires in order to take such action. Muscat was also asked whether he still vouches for Mizzi and Schembri.
The response received by the government’s Head of Communications Kurt Farrugia is as follows: “There are ongoing independent investigations and the Prime Minister will not prejudice their outcome. The PM's position has always been clear, since before the general elections. If any wrongdoing is found, the persons involved would shoulder their responsibility.”
This answer indicates that Prime Minister Muscat, who yesterday attended a gala dinner to promote the highly controversial IIP scheme in London, will not be taking any immediate action. Also noteworthy is the fact that the Prime Minister did not answer whether he is willing to vouch for Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.
The Malta Independent also sent questions to Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne on Thursday morning.
Minister Konrad Mizzi has been asked whether he will be resigning, and asked about how he could deny links to 17 Black when it is shown as a target company in the published emails.
Keith Schembri was asked whether he believes not acknowledging 17 Black until his recent statement meant that he was effectively hiding pertinent information from the public, and whether he will resign.
Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne was asked whether he has given any advice to the Prime Minister after the revelations, and whether he believes they should be removed from their posts.
None of them have replied.