Panama Papers: We would all do something differently if we go back in time, PM says

We would all do something differently if we had the chance to go back in time, Prime Minister Muscat said yesterday when asked for his comments on what former Minister Helena Dalli said at the European Parliament hearing last Wednesday.

When Dalli was asked about the Panama Papers and Minister Konrad Mizzi, she told MEPs that she “would have done things differently”, and that throughout her career she has always stood up for the rule of law and democracy.

Konrad Mizzi, who had been named in the Panama Papers after having opened a company in Panama, has now also said that he regrets what he had done and “with the benefit of hindsight would have done things differently”.

“Helena Dalli gave a fantastic performance and it was a legitimate comment,” said Muscat.

When asked whether Minister Mizzi should have done things differently, he explained that everyone has their own personal ideas. “Commenting on myself, and not on others, I once again say I agree and thank Helena for her performance.”

Mizzi, on his part yesterday said that with the benefit of hindsight it would have been better if he had not opened up that company in Panama.

“Judging from the people’s reaction I should have never set up such a structure in the first place,” he told The Times.

Mizzi has now also admitted that he should have done things differently.

Mizzi had lost his Health and Energy portfolio in the last legislature when it was revealed in the Panama Papers that he had opened a company in Panama together with OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri. But he was reelected in 2017 and was named Tourism Ministry.

In a terse reaction, the Nationalist Party said that, “the only thing Minister Konrad Mizzi regrets is getting caught”.