Government denies double ID Cards amid leaked documents published in TMI

One week after The Malta Independent on Sunday revealed that 80 people out of a sample of 300 have more than one ID card, the government is denying this fact.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Department of Information, the government said: “It is incredible how, despite clear and unconditional statements by Government, The Malta Independent chose to say that Government does not deny 80 have more than one ID card.”

However, until now, the government had never denied that 80 persons have more than one valid ID card.

The Malta Independent on Sunday this week published the leaked documents that clearly show that 80 people out of a sample of 300 hold more than one ID card. Notwithstanding this evidence, the government is insisting that these facts are untrue.

This newsroom is also informed that following the publication of our first story, Identity Malta asked the Elec- toral Commission to delete cases of double entries flagged by this newsroom. Sources told this newsroom that these were deleted on 28 March 2017, two days after the revelations by The Malta Independent on Sunday. One would have expected the government not to take action had the stories published in The Malta Independent been untrue.

In the meantime, this newsroom can confirm that a meeting will be held on the matter next Thursday between the govern- ment and The Malta Independent. In a statement the government said that “The Malta Independent is strongly urged to provide in full confidence, all details of any allegations for the relevant authorities to investigate and to determine their veracity.”

This newsroom will cooperate with Identity Malta in the best interest of the public while protecting its sources who blew the whistle on Identity Malta. During this meeting, The Malta Independent expects the government to come clean and state what measures are being taken to tackle this crisis.