INDEPTH: Mizzi, Schembri refusal to appear before PANA committee would be a mistake – David Casa

It would be a mistake if Minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri were to reject the invitation to appear before the European Parliament’s Panama Papers Committee, the Nationalist Party’s head of delegation at the EP David Casa said.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is saying that the two have no obligation to attend, but their absence would raise even more questions on their involvement in a scandal that has tarnished Malta’s reputation and could lead to repercussions in the financial services industry, Mr Casa said.

The committee, known as PANA, will be in Malta later this month to pursue its investigations into the Panama Papers scandal, which last year uncovered details about Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri opening up companies in Panama.

Interviewed on INDEPTH by The Malta Independent online editor Stephen Calleja, Mr Casa said that the committee is expected to draw up recommendations for the Maltese government after it concludes its investigation.

Asked what kind of power the committee has on Castille, Mr Casa said that as Socialist MEP Ana Gomes has said, penalties could be imposed on Malta if these recommendations are not implemented.

Mr Casa said that the government made the wrong choice to appoint Konrad Mizzi as head of the EU energy council during the six months of Malta’s EU presidency. It was a sign of disrespect towards the European Union which, however, had no say in the decision.

The principle of subsidiarity allows individual countries to choose who to appoint in these situations, and it should have been up to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat not to pick Konrad Mizzi for the post.