Complete silence from OPM on Konrad Mizzi contract, possible other consultancies for ex-Ministers

The Office of the Prime Minister has failed to answer a number of questions related to Konrad Mizzi’s controversial contract with the Malta Tourism Authority and on other consultancies.

The Malta Independent sent questions to the OPM asking whether Prime Minister Robert Abela had known about Mizzi’s contract with the MTA, and whether he thinks that Mizzi should ever be given such a post.

There was outrage earlier this week after it was revealed that former Tourism Minister Mizzi had been given a consultancy with the MTA worth €80,000 per year just two weeks after he had resigned from his ministerial post in the midst of a political crisis which eventually saw the resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Questions sent to the Malta Tourism Authority about Mizzi’s consultancy also remained unanswered at the time of going to print.

This newsroom also asked whether Abela had consulted with the Cabinet in his decision to appoint Mizzi as the head of the delegation for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), an appointment which was revoked soon after it was announced.

Government MPs did not answer when asked whether the Cabinet had been consulted when they were asked as they entered Parliament on Tuesday, saying that they either didn’t have anything to add to the official statement that had been published or that the decision had ultimately been taken.

The following were the questions sent to the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday morning:

Did you know whether Konrad Mizzi had this agreement with the MTA as a consultant?

If you knew, when did you get to know?

If you did not know, when did you get to know?

Did Joseph Muscat ever tell you of this agreement, which became effective as of 9 December?

Until December, when this agreement was signed, you were still the legal consultant to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet – did Muscat never tell you of this agreement?

You said that you will look at this contract and see what its legal terms are – this isn’t necessarily a legal issue, but more an incorrect political decision: don’t you think that Konrad Mizzi should never have been given a role such as this?

Yesterday you also announced that Konrad Mizzi had been appointed as the head of the delegation for the OSCE. When you decided to appoint him in this post, did you consult with the Cabinet?

If no, why? If yes, did you have the necessary support?

Apart from Konrad Mizzi, which other ex-ministers (Chris Cardona, Joe Mizzi, Anthony Agius Decelis, etc.) have been given consultancies or other appointments before December or after December? Please provide us details on the post of each minister and the terms of reference.

Was a deal struck between then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Keith Schembri after Schembri resigned from his post as Chief of Staff ? If yes, what was it? Is Keith Schembri being paid or given any other benefits? If yes, what are they?

Apart from Mizzi, Neville Gafa was also asked to resign; gave you given him another job? If yes, what is the position and how much will he be paid?