What were the odds that he would embarrass Malta? Pretty good, I’d say.
BBC News Europe
16 October 2012
EU HEALTH COMMISSIONER JOHN DALLI QUITS OVER FRAUD ENQUIRY
The EU commissioner for health, John Dalli, has resigned after an anti-fraud inquiry linked him to an attempt to influence tobacco legislation.
The EU’s anti-fraud office (Olaf) found that a Maltese businessman had tried to use his contacts with Mr Dalli, who is also Maltese, for financial gain.
This businessman had tried to influence future EU legislation on tobacco products, the European Commission said.
Mr Dalli categorically rejected the investigation’s findings, it added.
Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic will take over the Mr Dalli’s duties on an interim basis until a new commissioner of Maltese nationality is appointed, the commission said.
‘Snus offer’
According to the commission, the tobacco producer Swedish Match complained in May that a Maltese entrepreneur had used his contacts with Mr Dalli to try to gain financial advantages from the company.
This entrepreneur had allegedly offered in return to influence a possible future legislative proposal on tobacco products, in particular on the EU export ban on snus, a smokeless tobacco taken orally.
No transaction was concluded between the company and the entrepreneur and no payment was made, the commission said.
Olaf “did not find any conclusive evidence of the direct participation of Mr Dalli but did consider that he was aware of these events”, it said.
According to the commission, the case has not affected its decision-making process.
It said that the Olaf’s final report and its recommendations were being sent to the attorney-general of Malta, and it was up to the Maltese judiciary to decide how to proceed.
Mr Dalli, 64, became the EU’s commissioner for health and consumer policy in 2010.
His official biography shows that his career in Maltese politics stretches back more than a quarter of a century.
First elected an MP in 1987 for the centre-right Nationalist Party, he was a cabinet minister in several governments, serving as finance minister three times.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19964248
Ta’ Peppi ta’ l-imqaret – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121016/local/sliema-restaurateur-at-heart-of-dalli-allegations.441369
http://mt.linkedin.com/pub/silvio-zammit/23/662/36
No wonder J Dalli BA got so paranoid that his phone was being tapped and his emails hacked. In his famous teleconference. He blamed the ‘evil click’ but maybe it was OLAF that was behind it.
I think the cause of the forced resignation of John Dalli was just the cherry on the cake.
Oh! what a circus oh what a show,Silvio Zammit is bringing to town.
Has there ever been an EU Commissioner who was made to resign (fired, let go, booted out) for an involvement in an attempt of fraud, directly or indirectly?
Dalli embarrassed Dalli, but again, these are allegations, founded as they may be, but by investigating an EU Commissioner, OLAF would not embarrass itself by alleging imaginary wrongdoing.
Isn’t this guy Silvio Zammit the owner of Sea Bank hotel in Mellieha.
Just asking.
[Daphne – DEFINITELY NOT. He is one of the tal-mqaret family ta’ hdejn it-Taormina Kiosk, or what used to be the Taormina kiosk.]
That’s Silvio Debono.
Reget spikk l-ghaqal u lintelligenza li xi uhud mid-dirigenti tal-PN ghandhom fl-ghazla tal-kandidati!!!
Jaqaw qieghed tirreferi ghal dak li dejjem ikun mistieden fuq One TV ?
Oh, you just have to shut up about this Daphne !!!