Fenech Adami says whistle-blower’s account led to early election
PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami yesterday said that the Russian whistleblower’s account of what was taking place at the Pilatus Bank confirms why Prime Minister Joseph Muscat chose to terminate his own government a year ahead of schedule.
Addressing a press conference in the morning, Dr Fenech Adami showed clips of an interview that was carried out by The Malta Independent, with the Russian whistleblower.
Dr Fenech Adami said, “what better proof can you have than someone who has gone forward and presented all the information they had first hand.” He reminded those present that witnesses are prohibited by the magistrate from elaborating to the media. “The consequences can be serious, and you could affect the course of the inquiry,” he said.
Adding to this, Dr Fenech Adami brought it to the media’s attention that following this interview, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s reaction was silence. “We have a reaction of silence from the Prime Minister,” he said. “The interview happened more than twenty-four hours ago and the reaction of the Prime Minister remains complete silence, perfect silence.” He went on to say that he has observed that this silence is significant from someone who “has his back against the wall.”
He went on to emphasise the importance of protecting the whistleblower. “Now more than before we are obliged to give the whistleblower the protection she needs as there are people who want to keep her silenced,” he said.
When asked by this newspaper whether he feels that the information provided by journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Nationalist Party and the whistleblower should have been exposed further towards the end of the legislature, Dr Fenech Adami replied that currently “the impossible is happening,” and added that the Nationalist Party will “rise to the occasion,” ensuring the media that the party “is prepared for the election”.
Replying to questions by the media, in reference to the reputation of Pilatus Bank following the allegations, Dr Fenech Adami also articulated his concern regarding ‘harm’ to the financial sector if the country continues to be governed by a Labour Government.
He said that Malta’s financial reputation within the international scene is already being affected. He said that if the financial services sector is harmed there would be a “ripple effect, which would also affect other sectors such as the construction industry.”