It gets worse. This awful bit hasn’t been reported in the Maltese media yet
Swedish daily Aftonbladet reported that the businessman had asked Swedish Match for 10 million euros in advance and another 50 million once the legislation was changed.
“That’s the kind of sums we are talking about,” Swedish Match spokesman Patrik Hildingsson told Reuters.
A Swedish Match employee met the businessman in Malta after he had sought contact, Hildingsson said.
“The Maltese businessman expressed to us very clearly that he was speaking on behalf of Dalli. He had a manner and information that made us wary,” Hildingsson said.
“He said it was, in principle, political suicide to lift the ban and therefore he wanted money for it, simply put, since the career (of the EU commissioner) would be over afterwards.”
Swedish Match declined the offer and informed the Commission of what had happened, Hildingsson said.
The European Commission said OLAF did not find any evidence that Dalli had taken a bribe but said he was “was aware of these events”.
– By Anna Ringstrom for Reuters (edited by Robin Pomeroy), yesterday
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http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Businessman_sought_60_million-euro_bribe_in_EU_fraud_case_-_company.html?cid=33768622
Not just corrupt, but UNBELIEVABLY STUPID.
Mr Dalli is insisting that he is innocent and that somebody has set him up.
The solution for Mr Dalli is to ask OLAF to make the report public, so that we can reach our own conclusions.
[Daphne – OLAF does not make its reports public. Dalli has no right to ask for it to be made public. He is not even allowed to see it himself.]
If there is some rule that a person cannot see a report which concerns him directly and which tries as much as possible to draw negative conclusions on him, this must be the most ridiculous rule in the world.
This rule is also profoundly unjust and utterly contrary to European values of transparency and accountability.
[Daphne – Bollocks, David. It is usual, normal, ordinary practice with criminal investigations of all sorts. If you are under investigation by the police, they’re not going to show you the file or report, my dear. And do you know why? Try using common sense to work it out: BECAUSE ANYTHING YOU SEE IN THAT REPORT ON YOUR INVESTIGATION CAN BE USED TO STEAL A MARCH ON YOUR PROSECUTOR.]
Is there any particular reason why the public or even Dalli himself cannot see the report?
[Daphne – The same reasons you don’t get to read the reports of police investigations, or the reports of any other investigations, for that matter.]
Did anyone realise? Dalli used the same term “political suicide” in his interview on NewEurope. Is it merely a coincidence? For some odd reason the expression stuck with me.
The more he’s going to talk, the more he’s going to slip. At this stage I would only speak through my lawyers. But then, who am I to give advice.
It seems that this “political suicide” expression was used by Silvio Zammit in his past dealings with Swedish Match, as reported above and interestingly, also by John Dalli in his latest appearance on New Europe (at 6:38).
Is this a coincidence?
I don’t believe there’s anything like a perfect crime.
“He had a manner … that made us wary”. Spot on! Although quite OK to talk to as an acquaintance, to the outside world Silvio “ta’ Peppi ta’ l-imqaret” looks just like a spiv or some Italian ‘mafioso’ in a cheap American movie.
If the meetings at Mr Zammit’s ‘Peppi’s’ Kiosk between Mr Dalli and Mr Zammit really took place last June (as Bondi plus reported) then I believe many interrogatory questions can be answered quite easily.
The Maltese saying ‘jiekol il kirxa ma’, in this case having a coffee with, applies. Surely one can easily establish the type of relationship these two men had prior to the dates relevant in this case.
My father always gave me good advice. He said that if you are willing to ask for a bribe or dash, make sure that it will be enough to live the rest of your life out without resorting to work or business, as if caught you’re finished for being gainfully employed afterwards. Sounds as if somebody had the same idea.
Today, there are many countries where the prosecution must make full disclosure to the defence. Moreover the prosecution is obliged to present all proof pertinent to the case including those that are in favour or against the accused.
Why is this not the process that is being followed in this case by the EU Commission?
They should set an example.
I do clearly remember that when the legal changes were made to grant attorney rights to the accused, the lawyers insisted that full disclosure be introduced in Maltese legislation.
[Daphne – That’s when the case comes to trial, not before. In the unlikely event that Silvio and Dalli face the courts, their lawyers will get the information they need.]
X’ misthija. Waqqghalna wiccna l-art mad-dinja. EUR60 million. And he has the cheek to say that GonziPN is behind this. Kif ma jisthux?