● Opposition leader calls for independent investigation
Opposition Leader Adrian Delia has called for fresh investigations into Pilatus bank, as well as for the revocation of the bank’s licence.
He delivered a statement outside of the law courts, after the Chairman of Pilatus Bank was arrested in the United States yesterday.
He said that government does not want to save Malta’s reputation. He said that everyone knows that this is a Maltese licensed bank: “Government has known for a while that this bank should never have been given a licence. This bank was set up in Malta as it could not be done anywhere else. It was set up in Malta specifically and the application took a record low amount of four weeks.
“Government has an obligation to now take action to safeguard Malta’s reputation, for our financial services which employ thousands of our youths that we spent years building.
“The bank’s licence must be revoked today, now. Every minute passing is a minute the world is looking on and noting that this is not a normal country. Who do we want to protect? The financial sector, or the owners of this bank and the few tens of account holders? This bank is not a normal bank, it is a bank for a few, set up to assist them conduct illicit transactions. The PN has been speaking about this for months and years, but government remained hard-headed. Government prefers to protect criminals, providing comfort for those who would use our system for their own scope, instead of protecting us, the Maltese and this sector.”
Responsibility lies with the Finance Minister Edward Scicluna and Prime Minster Joseph Muscat, he said. He said that they must carry responsibility and also take action.
“They must take responsibility today,” he insisted.
Asked whether he will call for resignations by this newsroom he said, “The Finance Minister and the Prime Minister must carry responsibility. Pressed by sections of the media to say if he means responsibility in terms of resignations or action, he said; “There is an obligation for to first look at what is happening to our country’s reputation. Aside from this, responsibility must be carried. The damage is done… we have been speaking about this for years.”
He said that this is not something people could say they didn’t see coming and that the writing is on the wall.
He was also asked by The Malta Independent whether fresh investigations into the bank should take place. “Yes,” he said. “An independent investigation must occur into how the bank received the licence, the actions of the bank, and a serious investigation into all transactions of this bank. We must at least try to save our country’s reputation.”