Ministry has ‘no information’ on departure of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion has no information whatsoever that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Secretariat intends to depart from Malta, nor that Secretary General of PAM Sergio Piazzi has left Malta, according to a ministry spokesperson.

Well-placed sources have informed this newspaper that the PAM is touted to leave Malta definitely in December 2019 or January of next year.

Established in 2005, the PAM is the principal forum where the national Parliaments of the Euro-Mediterranean region deliberate to reach those strategic objectives towards the creation of the best political, social, economic and cultural environment and conditions for the fellow citizens of the member states.

The spokesperson continued by noting that Piazzi “continues to serve as the PAM Secretary-General in Malta as per the notifications that the Ministry has in hand to date”.

“The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion maintains a normal relationship with H.E. Dr Piazzi as the Head of an International Organisation based in Malta.”

The source had explained to us that Secretary General of PAM Sergio Piazzi had left Malta with his secretary following a number of arguments with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion and that almost all of the PAM based in Malta had already left, save for one worker.

On the note of the PAM’s residence in Malta, the Ministry noted that, in accordance with the PAM Statute, the Secretariat of the PAM is located in Malta, adding that, “the Government had, in 2009, allocated Palazzo Spinola as the headquarters of the PAM Secretariat.

“In view of the fact that Palazzo Spinola is historically-scheduled building which requires expert maintenance from time to time, the Government of Malta, in line with its obligations as host country, has temporarily-leased office space at Aragon House Business Centre in St Julian’s adequate to serve as the PAM Secretariat in Malta, while restoration works at Palazzo Spinola are underway.

“Action in this direction was taken following consultation at every stage with the PAM Secretariat, including H.E. Dr Sergio Piazzi, Secretary-General of the PAM Secretariat, the latter having requested office space to house seven officials in Aragon House.

“Such office space was provided accordingly.”

According to the source, the Ministry is also paying approximately €100,000 in rent for a property in St Julian’s, Palazzo Spinola, for PAM that is not even being used.

In fact, their correspondence is being signed from their offices in Bucharest, Romania – which is to be considered temporary.

“Palazzo Spinola has been in a state of abandonment for years, and PAM left years after the Ministry was not answering them.”

The idea is for PAM to move to Italy or France – an idea which may ring familiar to some.

The Times of Malta reported in 2017 that current President George Vella, then Foreign Affairs Minister, had said that the PAM is doing nothing right, so much so that there have been attempts to move the secretariat from Malta to France.

He had said that he was making his complaint public to erase any illusion that there were people who were working in favour of the Mediterranean. Although in the beginning there were valid debates, lately, even its Secretary General was spending more time in Geneva than in Malta.

Questions sent to the Ministry on Tuesday 16 July were received yesterday morning following the publication of the article in yesterday’s issue, and questions sent to Dr Piazzi had not been replied to by the time of publication.