Neither Environment Minister Jose Herrera nor Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri have even been directly or indirectly contacted by Jose Fuentes, according to a ministry spokesperson.

The Spanish tuna kingpin at the centre of a scandal that has seen the suspension of Malta’s fisheries director, Andreina Fenech Farrugia

Fenech Farrugia was suspended indefinitely after Spanish news outlet El Confidencial published transcripts that allegedly show how she asked Fuentes for payment. The leaked transcripts also suggest that Fenech Farrugia was using her position to influence the environment ministry in favour Fuentes, with whom she had a close relationship. She is denying the allegations.

More of the transcripts were published yesterday, showing how Fenech Farrugia spoke to Fuentes Garcia about meetings with the “minister” and other “government officials.”

In one part, Fuentes greets "Andreina" with “gorgeous”, which prompts her to reply that “the minister and everyone else wants me”.

In another part of the transcript Fuentes tells “Andreina” he is coming to Malta for the meeting with the minister on Tuesday. The meeting is to secure a larger (tuna) quota. "Andreina" says she is sorting it out herself.

According to the El Confidencial report, the Spanish group, which owns the Malta-based Mareblu fish farm, was importing undeclared tuna from Malta and selling it abroad, in an illegal trade that is believed to have reached up to €25 million.

According to the report, the request for payment was made in June 2018, at a time when EU fisheries heads were meeting under the auspices of Bulgaria’s EU Council presidency. Farrugia Fenech is denying the allegations.

Replying to questions sent by this newspaper, a spokesman for the environment ministry said that both the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary met with Fenech Farrugia “only in her capacity as a Director General for Fisheries and Aquaculture. Any innuendo of a ‘close relationship’ is pure senseless fabrication.”

“With respect to the reference being made to other meetings held with individuals involved specifically in the aquaculture sector, the Ministry would like to state that such meetings are held with all stakeholder of all the sectors related to the Ministry. However, although the Ministry will not speculate on who the referred named individual is, under no circumstance will the Ministry or its representatives allow any undue pressure to be made,” the spokesperson said, adding that neither the minister nor the PS had ever had direct or indirect contact with Fuentes. 

The European Commission said yesterday that it was discussing “corrective measures” with the Maltese authorities after the findings of the Spanish investigation.