Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he "will not pre-empt" any European Banking Authority (EBA) conclusions over the FIAU investigation, when asked whether he could guarantee that there are no systematic deficiencies.
This newsroom asked Prime Minister Muscat whether he could guarantee that there are no systemic deficiencies or problems with the FIAU, given that EU Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova had indicated that if the EBA finds systematic deficiencies with the FIAU, given that the EBA is looking into the FIAU’s handling of the Pilatus Bank case, infringement proceedings could be launched.
“From what I understand what the Commissioner said was about the FIAU treatment in past years, and not about the FIAU today. I will not pre-empt any type of judgement by the EU Commission and the EBA. There is a whole process and we will answer to that process, but from what I understand what she said did not refer to today but to what happened in the past.”
The Malta Independent had asked the European Commissioner during her recent Malta visit what the potential next steps could be, should systematic deficiencies be found in the FIAU. Her response was as follows: "Any time we see systemic problems with the implementation of EU law the Commission has the possibility of launching infringement procedures, and this is what we are doing (with regards to the implementation of the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive as her spokesperson clarified later). We are running an infringement procedure and we are assessing the system on a continuous basis. At the same time we asked the EBA to dig further into this particular case as we need to know what happened there, and then to look into it from a wider context. It is one case of whether there is a systemic problem, and then infringement is possible and is up and running."
Prime Minister Muscat was also asked by the press about migration. Muscat said that the solution to migration is not a one-dimensional approach, “it is not simply development in countries of origin, it is not simply building a fence or wall. It has to be multi-dimensional.”
He stressed that there is a difference between genuine asylum seekers whose lives are at risk, and highlighted the need for humanitarian corridors for asylum seekers and that they should be brought safely to Europe, while also mentioning different treatment for economic illegal migrants.”
The Prime Minister highlighted the reduction in migrants travelling through the central Mediterranean route, primarily due to EU engagement in Libyan border countries.
Regarding the IVF law amendments, he said that what was said during a meeting with the President was noted. He said that government had the Attorney General’s advice from day one, and that there are no constitutional issues with the proposals.
He said that the President did well to meet with citizens, adding that he respects her role as President. He also said there are EU Court of Human Rights judgements backing government’s position.