“Konrad Mizzi, who on previous occasions called national-scale, live press conferences to announce a temporary drop of 2c in petrol prices, is not only absconding his political duty to face the press in light of the damning revelations over the past few days - he is also actually breaking the law," David Casa said.

The Partit Nazzjonalista Head of Delegation in the European Parliament said that it is shameful to see the avoidance tactics being used by Minister Mizzi over the past few days. However his actions have more deep-lying consequences.

Casa explained that all media houses have a right to be present at any events where any media are invited. This is a right protected by the European Convention on Human Rights and by the Maltese Constitution.

By refusing to invite independent media to his events and thus avoiding any questions on his conduct in relation to his secret deals worth hundreds of thousands of euro with 17 Black, Konrad Mizzi is impinging on the right to freedom of expression and free press, and therefore violating the provisions of Article 10 of the ECHR, the Maltese Constitution, as well as breaking the ministerial code of ethics.

It is important to note that the Maltese press are not only reporting on local matters in this regard, but also reporting on EU law matter, given that 17 Black and the power station project are of a public procurement nature. Therefore all the protection of EU law constitutional general principles of democracy apply in this case, which include the right to transparency and equal treatment. Konrad Mizzi’s actions are in clear breach of EU legislation.

In his comments to the press, David Casa concluded by stating that Konrad Mizzi must stop running away from reality and face up to what he has done. “That the Office of the Prime Minister is now defending Minister Mizzi’s clear violation of yet again more laws is brazen and unacceptable, and shows a clear disdain of the very concept of rule of law once more”.