Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has sprung to the defence of MP and former Minister Joseph Cassar by saying that while the latter had paid his dues for the car and that it was not a gift, adding that even if it was, the crux of the matter was that the PN government did not give him a permit for an illegal petrol station.

That, he said, was issued by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s government, along with €1.5 million in compensation for half a house in Valletta.

Dr Busuttil said this during a radio interview by Dr Andrew Azzopardi with Dr Busuttil which will be broadcast this morning on the programme Ghandi xi Nghid on Radju Malta 93.7fm. The programme starts at 9am and the interview with Dr Busuttil will begin at 10.50am.

The issue revolves around a car which former minister Joe Cassar obtained from Marco Gaffarena, who owns a petrol station at the bottom of Luqa, near Qormi. Dr Cassar has already spoken in parliament to clear his name, saying that he bought the car off Mr Gaffarena because the latter pleaded with him for help because he could not make ends meet. Dr Cassar said the car was 11 years old and it was worth €1,000 and that he gave it to his daughter.

Dr Cassar said that the deal was a frame up orchestrated by Joseph Muscat and Gaffarena, with the latter retaliating because he was not given a permit to operate the station, which was in an illegal state under the previous PN government.

Dr Cassar said that when he came to pay, Gaffarena told him to give the money as a donation to the PN.

A man of integrity

Asking the question to Dr Busuttil, Dr Azzoaprdi said that while he had faith in Dr Cassar’s integrity, how can politicians be so naive and questioned further whether it could have been perceived as malicious intent.

“The arguments made in defence may have been genuine, but they sound ridiculous,” said Dr Azzopardi.

Dr Busuttil said the issue was all about deflecting attention away from the real scandals of the moment, such as the General Workers Union leasing out part of its property to ARMS, the real Gaffarena €1.5 million scandal for the property in Old Mint Street as well as the €4m bailout for Cafe Premier which the Prime Minister was directly involved in.

“Instead, we are talking about an 11-year-old car worth €1,000 which a man of integrity bought for his daughter 4 years ago. Dr Cassar went on record saying that he had paid the money out, wherever it went. If anyone were to ask me whether I believe Dr Cassar or Gaffarena, my answer is definitely Joe Cassar,” he said.

Did Gaffarena get anything in return? No

Dr Busuttil said that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. “Even if Joe Cassar did accept it as a gift, which he didn’t, the real issue at stake here is whether Gaffarena got anything in return. Did he? Obviously not, and that is why he went running to the Labour Party,” said Dr Busuttil.

“He wanted a permit for his illegal petrol station and we told him to go and take a running jump. It was Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who gave him the permit to operate it, not us and that is where the crux of all this has always been,” said Dr Busuttil.

Dr Azzopardi interjected: “But out of all car dealers, you go to that one ?” Dr Busuttil reiterated that Gaffarena had told so many sob stories that Dr Cassar believed he was helping him by buying the car off him. “Whether he did right or wrong is now up to the people to decide.”

The interview also touches upon embryo freezing, the traffic problem, the burqa and the Gozo tunnel amongst other issues.