PN Leader Adrian Delia said today that Finance Minister Edward Scicluna was “living on a different planet”, in a press conference held this afternoon, were he once again called for the minister to shoulder political responsibility and resign.

The press conference came after Scicluna told journalists that that the FIAU would give a strong legal reply to the European Banking Authority’s damning conclusions into the conduct of the FIAU and its investigations into Pilatus Bank.

The minister was also steadfast insisting that he would not “make anyone shoulder political responsibility” for the report, including himself.

“The minister cannot escape reality and the truth,” Delia said, stressing that the European Banking Authority was an autonomous independent institution.

“Scicluna even alleged that the EBA is being run by a PN MEP.”

“When you make a political mistake you have to pay the consequences. You have to recognise when you’ve made an error and shoulder political responsibility.  Taking into account what he wrote in an opinion piece yesterday, there is no road left but his resignation.”

Delia was asked to comment on Scicluna’s claim that MP Mario de Marco, who was also at the press conference, rushed out in the middle of meeting to go to the FIAU in defence of professional clients, the Italian igaming operators Fenplay.

Delia said that de Marco’s work as a professional outside of his work as an MP had nothing to do with the issue at hand, explaining that government played a much more significant role than an MP’s professional work.

“That has nothing to do with the way the leadership of the country must react to such a report. These failings and irregularities have happened under Scicluna’s watch.”

Pressed as to whether his calls for resignations should extend to other individuals within the FIAU, Delia said that the ‘buck must stop’ with Scicluna, and any other further action would be dealt with by his successor. stressing that the FIAU was an independent institution.