John Dalli says that The New York Times/International Herald Tribune are lying and are out to smear him

Published: July 1, 2013 at 1:21pm

No doubt, two of the world’s most reputable newspapers are in a conspiracy with Saviour Balzan’s Queen of Bile, evil bloggers, gOnziPN, Giovanni Kessler, Jose Manuel Barroso, the nasty European Commission, and the mysterious agents who hacked Dalli’s email account and called him J Dalli BA.

I am sure his psychiatrist – a man I mention because his medical certificates were so much in the news when he certified Dalli unable to get on a plane because of ‘psycho-social’ problems – has a name for this disorder, which unites persecution mania with the ability to convince oneself that one is absolutely innocent at all times, even when one is not.

Enough of this nonsense. Really, enough.

Times of Malta reports just now:

Dalli denies his trip to Bahamas was to transfer money

John Dalli has rejected as a “blatant lie” a story in the International Herald Tribune this morning which reported that the Former European Commissioner travelled to the banking haven of the Bahamas to move millions of dollars.

“This is absolutely a blatant lie,” Mr Dalli said in a brief phone comment on his way to Sweden, where he was invited to address an anti-tobacco conference.

He even said that the journalist reporting had “misunderstood” what he had told him. When passages from the report were read – he said he was unaware of it at the time of the call – Mr Dalli said: “No, no absolutely not, I think he misunderstood. It must be.”




60 Comments Comment

  1. Jozef says:

    I can hardly wait for Saviour’s letters to the editors.

    X’affarijiet dawn.

  2. Alexander Ball says:

    On his way to Sweden?

    What about the shit state of Mater Dei?

    • Mr Meritocracy says:

      Probably still has some kind of contacts with Swedish Match.

    • ciccio says:

      Maybe he expects to find Swedish Match executives greeting him at the airport (six exclamation marks here).

      The International Herald Tribune couldn’t choose a better date to publish this story.

      JDalliBA was probably thinking that he would be showing Swedish Match defiance by going to Sweden to address an anti-tobacco conference – a statement worth checking for the truth. And by the way, is he there as a representative of the Maltese government?

    • Joe Micallef says:

      He thinks Olaf is Swedish. So he’s going there to have a word, of the sort he probably had with Joseph

  3. TinaB says:

    Joanne Micallef still thinks that OLAF are to blame, God Bless.

    “Joanne Micallef

    Today, 11:23

    Guess Olaf will try anything to bring back some credibility after the whole Dalligate backfired in their faces”

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130701/local/olaf-may-reopen-dalli-case-over-bahamas-trip-to-move-millions-international-herald-tribune.476159

    • La Redoute says:

      On such narrow vision and poor intellect was Joseph Muscat elected.

    • James IV says:

      Din wahda mit-36,000 li mhux waqat ghan-n**** darba (darba tahfirha) imma kontinwament – Injuranza Grassa.

    • Calculator says:

      This one’s even better:

      “Prosit Sur Dalli tal- kapacitajiet li ghandek.
      Fejn huwa il-Kummissarju l-gdid tal- pulizzija li ma sabx xejn fil-kas ta Dalligate?
      Nies professjonali ghandna bzonn biex imexxu. Bhal ma konna fi zmien Mintoff . Mhux bid- delittanti u pruzuntuzi.
      Fejn huma l-millitanti li kellna fil-partitt?
      Shame on you Dr, Muscat li accettajt lill kulhadd fil-partit taghna. Issa ara x’gara ?”

  4. ciccio says:

    Jeez, they too want to put him six feet under.

    Tsk. Tsk.

  5. Felix says:

    John Dalli has been persecuted for half his life and now is about to be martyred. Joseph Muscat should have a word with his mate Pope Francis.

  6. The Shadow says:

    The Times reported a few days ago that former minister Austin Gatt was being investigated by the Tax Compliance Unit for forgetting to declare a Swiss bank account that he inherited from his parents.

    Will the Tax Compliance Unit be investigating John Dalli now that it is known that he is involved in moving hundreds of millions of dollars of possibly dirty money to tax havens and presumably earning a hefty commission? Will the police be investigating him and members of his family for money laundering?

  7. La Redoute says:

    Time for someone to give Franco tal-pony a ring to ask what he thinks of this xibka tal-hazen.

  8. TROY says:

    Poor Johnny Cash was framed. Again.

  9. Paddling Duck says:

    The irony of it all, at an anti-tobacco seminar.

    • La Redoute says:

      You only have his word for it. That was probably a PR stunt. No reporter seems to have asked where and when the conference is taking place, what his role will be there and whether he represents government or himself.

  10. etil says:

    If the New York Times/International Herald Tribune are lying – just sue them, John Dalli.

  11. Calculator says:

    I think being around Franco Debono and his cohorts is finally taking its toll on him.

    Kif jgħid il-Malti, min jgħmilha maz-zopp fl-aħħar tas-sena zopp bħalu jsir.

  12. Cittadin Malti says:

    Me thinks JDalliBA should pay another visit to his psychiatrist.

  13. Lestrade says:

    So while he was an EU Commissioner, he was wheeling and dealing in monies in tax havens.

    And such a flimsy story of a trust to help Africa and Africans and spending USD 24,000 of his or his daughter’s cash to hire a luxury villa in the Bahamas for three months, all pro bono.

    And he is still involved with the tobacco industry as today he was on his way to attend a tobacco industry meeting. Mater Dei must rank very low on his scale of priorities,

    • La Redoute says:

      Dalli didn’t say he was setting up a trust to help Africa and Africans. He said the money was mean to help people in Africa. The IHT reporter didn’t ask whether Dalli meant it would help prop up a mad dictator.

  14. Kevin says:

    Why would private investors want to set up a philanthropic fund masked through tax havens? Aren’t donations tax free anyway? And, anyway, doesn’t Malta have necessary legislation to accommodate such funds?

  15. Alexander Ball says:

    Do you think someone in the media should ask the police if these new allegations justify re-opening the investigation into John Dalli?

    If only to see the reaction they give when they say nothing has changed?

  16. ron says:

    He is like a virgin: always on the verge but never in.

  17. Alex says:

    If the money is clean, and destined for charities in Africa, why go through the Bahamas?

  18. Bubu says:

    Looks like John Dalli is panicking. At this point the only way he can retain some sort of legitimacy is if he is backed by the Maltese government all the way.

    In other words Muscat has him by the short and curlies. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Muscat throws Dalli to the wolves.

    • Bubu says:

      Unless of course the Labour party are actually implicated with Dalli in some way (which wouldn’t surprise me). In that case we’re in for a fun ride.

    • curious says:

      I think that both of them have each other by the short and curlies.

      How that is going to work out, nobody knows. I get the feeling the Dalli is in a stronger position. It will be clear once Muscat decides to open his mouth and tell us something.

  19. Katrin says:

    His disorder, as you aptly put it, has all the hallmarks of a narcissistic personality disorder with some aspects of Borderline Syndrome.

    With that, he will always feel wronged and never see the light.

    This is no excuse for his despicable behaviour; he is fully responsible and accountable.

  20. myname says:

    Will the new Police Commissioner be investigating this too to ‘clear’ Mr Dalli’s name once again – even though the alleged actions did not take place in Malta – or is he too busy coordinating the catering services?

  21. r pace bonello says:

    The new Maltese ambassador will hold a press conference at some point. Journalists from the Malta independent media, the IHT as well as the New York Times could make it a very interesting event.

  22. Someone says:

    John Dalli must really take a minute to update his LinkedIn page… one’s Internet profile doesn’t stop with FaceBook! I’m pretty sure the EU Commission would take a pretty dim view of the current version.

    http://be.linkedin.com/pub/john-dalli/2b/a62/87a?trk=pub-pbmap

    While you’re at it, take a look at Silvio Zammit’s education… He seems to be qualified in arts and crafts…

    http://mt.linkedin.com/pub/silvio-zammit/23/662/36?trk=pub-pbmap

  23. Jar Jar says:

    It’s a pity the cops are too busy drawing up menus to bother with this trivia

  24. Mel says:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/world/europe/dalli-resignation-leaves-eu-with-a-mystery.html?_r=0

    I love this bit about Maltese politics:

    “Mr. Dalli is from Malta, where politics is a rough-and-tumble affair and where he had risen near the top of the political ladder after serving as a cabinet minister for the center-right Nationalist Party in several governments.”

  25. mark says:

    This time not even high mass celebrated by the pope at the Vatican, will be enough.

  26. taxxu says:

    On his way to sweden to address an anti tobacco conference. Is there something I’m not getting here?

  27. QahbuMalti says:

    …. our modern day Robin Hood miskin!

  28. Neil says:

    SOOO many smear campaigns over the years, miskin.

    A quick read through this lot makes the wall of defence from his new Labour buddies nothing short of perverse. Eddy Privitera’s efforts on timesofmalta.com today have been quite pathetic.

    Lest ‘they’ forget:

    http://www.ecita.org.uk/blog/index.php/dalli-doesnt-dilly-dally-on-the-way-out/

    • Neil says:

      I posted this before reaching the very end of the article.

      Go to the comments section, and check out the massive ‘heads up’ from a certain Edward Butters, way back in February of this year.

  29. Joseph Ellul-Grech says:

    Reputable newspapers such as the International Herald Tribune/New York Times, like me, do not make any allegations unless they have evidence to support them. I have always insisted that John Dalli is a CORRUPT politician. http://ec-eu-john-dalli.blogspot.co.uk/

  30. what? says:

    It seems very clear now why the PN got rid of Dalli. But Joseph Muscat just sucked him up.

  31. P.Busuttil says:

    Kif ghadna ma smajna xejn minn Saviour Balzan?

    Ser jaghmel l-investigazzjonijiet tieghu halli inkunu nafu x’hemm wara dan kollu?

  32. Tracy says:

    Kif il-gazzetti tal-Laburisti ma gabu xejn fuq il-kaz ta’ John Dalli li deher fl-International Herald Tribune? Tghid ghadhom ma sarux jafu b’dan?

    • curious says:

      Still waiting for instructions. Communications are a little difficult with most of them roaming the globe., Not to mention the current stories about interceptions and email hacking.

  33. Michael M says:

    Speaking of a good amount of money, what has happened to Tony Cassar (the CEO of Cassar Ship Repair)’s case?

    Obviously him being related to the oil-scandal and to being (unarguably) one of the funders of the Labour campaign, surely he should be convicted like Johnny Cash here.

    But no.

    This is the justice reform we were presented with.

    [Daphne – Joseph Muscat has appointed his daughter Andrea to the National Festivities Committee. Hadn’t you noticed?]

  34. charon says:

    It seems that the Teflon coating is getting scratched. Just a bit more and something will stick. If in doubt, ask John Gotti.

  35. Edward says:

    I find his reasoning indicative of the Maltese mindset, where consequences are non-existent or always seen as unfair.

    It is everywhere in our lives, and I think it has something to do with our education being so religious. In Catholicism we are taught to go to confession and all is forgiven by saying a few Hail Mary’s and a Glory Be.

    We grow up thinking that in any situation, all we need to do is look like we’re sorry, or play the victim, and all will be forgiven.

    It’s a common tactic used by kids at school and musew, and I believe it sticks for so long that it becomes ingrained in our minds, so when consequences do happen we go crazy.

    Suddenly, when confronted with the consequences, we think they are too much for us to deal with and we collapse.

    • Calculator says:

      Personally I wouldn’t bring Catholicism into this. Whenever priests try to tell people to do something right or do nothing at all – or suffer the consequences – people groan and say they’re distancing people from the Church with their ‘rules’ and ‘consequences’.

      Yes, there is forgiveness, but it always comes down to the average person him/herself who wants to abuse of it.

      It boils down to people wanting to nominally appear religious but having none of the responsibility, not religion itself.

      It’s also a growing problem in education. Children are no longer disciplined in a balanced way.

      Some parents often leave it to the teacher to teach their child everything – be it manners, responsibility, right and wrong etc – while they do nothing at home; they only do something when they see the teacher as acting ‘unfairly’ by putting his/her foot down when needed.

      It’s an unfortunate Maltese socio-cultural thing, a symptom of a larger phenomenon of people wanting all their rights but none of the responsibilities (maybe Mintoff is to blame with his ideas of everything being gratis).

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