John Dalli had meetings with Silvio Zammit at his kiosk between March and May this year

Published: October 18, 2012 at 9:26am

A family friend, who has lunch most Saturdays with his wife at Peppi’s kiosk/restaurant (Silvio Zammit’s place) has told me that he saw John Dalli sitting there with Silvio Zammit on at least two occasions between March and May this year.

This is the timeframe when Silvio Zammit approached the Swedish tobacco company trying to broker a meeting with Dalli, for the purpose of amending a tobacco directive, against a fee which OLAF director-general Giovanni Kessler described as “substantial”.

The investigations began in May.




14 Comments Comment

  1. canon says:

    The more we get to know the facts, the more we feel embarrased and it seems that the embarrassment is not going to stop.

  2. kev says:

    There was NEVER any communication between Zammit and the Swedish company. Lobbyists were representing that company and this should tell you something about OLAF’s outcome – but then again you wouldn’t recognise the significance of this.

  3. Jozef says:

    Biex tara xi tbatija.

  4. SC says:

    Some Maltese seem to forget how small Malta is.

    I guess it’s all down to perspective.

    I have sat on an Air Malta flight with two people next to me talking about their work, their bosses and company secrets. They had no sense of who was around them.

    One of their bosses is my best friend and by getting their laptop out writing emails I could see his name and position.

    I still don’t understand how everyday you see people who see someone they know and they look so shocked like it’s some kind of miraculous meeting.

    • H.P. Baxxter says:

      Yep. I sat next to Joseph Muscat once, when he was still MEP. In economy class. Quiet as a mouse he was, very much to his credit.

  5. Jozef says:

    The opinion poll on Maltastar today

    ‘What’s your view on John Dalli’s resignation?

    Dalli is a victim of GonziPN
    Dalli is a victim of the tobacco lobby
    Dalli did something wrong
    Difficult to judge right now……’

  6. mandango70 says:

    So we just take your word for it. Actually your friend’s word as you weren’t there yourself at Peppi’s.

    Daphne has spoken? We can stop there and take it as fact!

    [Daphne – You’re sounding desperate. And this from somebody who takes Super One, Jeffrey Pullicino, Franco Debono and Maltastar as the gospel truth…Yes, I do take his word for it. Unlike you, I know him.]

  7. Riya says:

    Daphne never said anything which was not the whole truth.

  8. Min Weber says:

    A family friend told me Dalli was walking down the European Parliament square in Brussels, accompanied by a fat man in blue, talking into his phone. Two men walking into the sunset … hopefully ….

  9. fm says:

    Anybody watched One TV today? What did they have to say about their much beloved guest of honour on Hamilton’s Bla Agenda? Are they saying that Gonzi’s government suffered another blow now? I wouldn’t be surprised, the hypocrites.

    Maybe with hindsight Gonzi should have discarded Dalli completely and not sent him on such a highly paid job (in the region of 20,000 euros monthly) whilst he seems to imply on One TV that Gonzi got rid of him. Vera wiccu ma jafx jisthi.

    [Daphne – The high salary has nothing to do with it. The point at issue is the sheer irresponsibility of sending somebody so obviously high risk, who would find the temptations too difficult to ignore. Effectively our problem was dumped on others. You just don’t do that. And now look at the consequences.]

  10. fm says:

    Dalli chose former AD chairman Harry Vassallo as one of his staff in Brussels because according to him Vassallo is very knowledgeable in the field.

    Let’s not forget Harry Vassallo’s hdura towards GonziPN before the last election, claiming that he was arrested days before the election because he did not pay VAT.

    Vassallo also went to celebrate with Labour supporters at the MLP club in Naxxar when stupid Jason told Labour supporters to start celebrating.

    Was this choice made in defiance of Gonzi? I wouldn’t be surprised.

    Dalli is surely not being considered a Nationalist at this point and hasn’t been for a few years now. One hopes that Labour will not come out claiming that Gonzi’s govt suffered another blow with Dalli’s resignation.

    If anything, l-ghaqda tal-progressivi or better l-ghaqda ta l-ghajjurin u mdejqin did, for making him feel so welcome at One TV just because he has a lanzita for Gonzi because he lost the leadership race to him.

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