Here’s the photo you have to go to the Azerbaijan dictatorship press to see: the Maltese prime minister’s wife entertaining the Azeri dictator’s daughter in what appears to be one of Malta’s state palaces

Published: February 26, 2014 at 5:59pm

Michelle Muscat + Azeri President's daughter - Malta, Feb 2014

The government’s department of information is usually so very keen to keep us apprised of every ‘important’ meeting and activity involving Mrs Muscat.

So why have they kept completely silent on this one?

We had to go to the Azerbaijan dictatorship-controlled press to get the pictures of Leyla Aliyeva, the dictator’s daughter, entertained by a highly impressed Mrs Muscat at one of Malta’s state palaces.




59 Comments Comment

  1. Alexander Ball says:

    Is this the visit they tried to keep quiet about by pretending the plane needed a quick refuel stop?

  2. manum says:

    That looks like Villa Francia in Lija.

  3. Clueless says:

    Was this an official visit?

    I just can’t get how these people make use of public buildings for personal image crafting. These things only happen in non-democratic countries.

    Why isn’t the press badgering Joseph Muscat about this?

  4. Pablo says:

    “Det is me and Joseph and my childrens Itwal and Sewlejl, you like?

  5. Neil says:

    Did she present her with a picture of the twins? Or a print of ‘that’ magazine cover?

  6. Imhaseb says:

    Why are we all making all this fuss? The Azerbaijan dictator’s daughter had to be entertained till the private jet was refuelled.

  7. La Redoute says:

    Who’s the buxom chick on the right? No, I don’t mean Michelle Muscat.

  8. La Redoute says:

    What were the president of Malta and the education minister doing there?

  9. Joe Fenech says:

    Malta: a sunny place with a lot of shady people

  10. TinaB says:

    This stinks to high heaven.

    I wonder whose photo Michelle is showing to Leyla Aliyeva. My guess is that it’s of the Princesas de Castilla, or else of her husband, to show her how handsome he is.

  11. ciccio says:

    Meanwhile, “Ich bin immer noch EU Kommissar,” says JDalliBA. Ah, so he is still an EU Commissioner.

    And you know what, for 6 months after he was forced to resign, his health was in a complete crisis, but then, after 9 March 2013, a miracle happened, and he recovered totally, came back to Malta, and after escaping from criminal action by the Police, he became so healthy that the prime minister of Malta appointed him an advisor on, guess what, health.

    http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/medizin/john-dalli-im-interview-ueber-seinen-ruecktritt-und-den-skandal-a-954517.html

  12. aidan says:

    Looks like Michelle is taking her appointment, just like the series of ‘The Clients List’

  13. Ganni says:

    Leyla’s sizzling! The first photo is taken from quite a dangerous angle if you catch my drift.

  14. Spock says:

    Since the political pattern is turning into a ‘Golden Years’ lookalike, how possible would it be that true to form , the ‘hidden files’ at Enemalta are nothing but a strategically timed frame-up similar to the one carried out on Pietru Pawl Busuttil?

    This ‘whistle-blower ‘suddenly came out of the woodwork at a very convenient time for the PL when there is so much opposition to the ticking time-bomb at Marsaxlokk . Familiar smell of filthy politics.

  15. L.Gatt says:

    No, Baxxter it’s “you know i em naw the pejtrin of the rer dizeezes – inti wat do you do?!

  16. La Redoute says:

    Leyla Aliyeva is worth 200 million dollars of other people’s money.

    http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/business-executives/leyla-aliyeva-net-worth/

    ‘Her’ company is registered in the Seychelles.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SW_Holdings

    Does she hold a Maltese passport?

  17. Joe Fenech says:

    Who’s next? Kim Jong-un’s wife?

  18. Helen says:

    There wasn’t enough gingerbread to go round.

  19. il-Ginger says:

    How in the world is this not news, but this is http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140226/local/icelandic-media-make-fun-of-malta-gaffe.508367

    The Maltese truly deserve this government.

  20. Giovanni says:

    Leyla dawn it-tfal tieghi fir-ritratt. Twins ta. Dejjem jieklu is-soup u ginger bread.

  21. Wistin Schembri says:

    Dr Muscat is the worthy successor of great Maltese Labour leaders who hosted Caucescu and awarded state decorations to Kim il Sung.

    These are some quotes from the final report OSCE’s and the Office for Democratic Institutions for Human Rights’ (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission about the election of the Azeri president on 9 October 2013.

    http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/103589

    “the election was undermined by limitations on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association that did not guarantee a level playing field for candidates. Continued allegations of candidate and voter intimidation and a restrictive media environment marred the campaign. Significant problems were observed throughout all stages of election day processes and underscored the serious nature of the shortcomings that need to be addressed in order for Azerbaijan to fully meet its OSCE commitments for genuine and democratic elections.” (page 1)

    “Overall, candidates were provided with insufficient access to the media, and a balanced and open exchange of views on political alternatives was lacking. The internet is mostly considered to be free and its usage increasing. However, recent legal amendments made criminal defamation explicit with regard to online content. Detentions, criminal prosecutions, testimony of physical attacks and other forms of pressure on journalists negatively impacted the media environment.” (page 2)

    “The review of election appeals lacked impartiality and failed to provide appellants sufficient guarantees of effective redress. Court decisions were not fully reasoned and the legal basis for adverse decisions on appellant’s motions was not included in court decisions. There was a lack of genuine judicial supervision insofar that procedural deficiencies in the first instance were not addressed by the courts upon appeal.” (page 2)

    “Credible reports of candidate and voter intimidation arose throughout the campaign, including incidents affecting the families of political figures.” (page 12)

    “Detentions, criminal prosecutions, testimony of physical attacks and other forms of pressure on journalists negatively impacted the media environment, including coverage of the campaign.” (page 13)

    “Indications of ballot box stuffing were noted in 23 of the 131 counts observed.” (page 22)

    “The vote count often lacked transparency.” (page 22)

    Then there are the reports by Transparency International (the Ministries’ employees who ran Super 1 will surely remember the name!) on corruption in Azerbaijan and some remarks about the presidential family.

    http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/answer/overview_of_corruption_and_anti_corruption_in_azerbaijan

    These include:

    “Economic and political powers are largely concentrated in the ruling elite, creating a blurred line between political and business interests. While the country’s natural resource wealth has largely contributed to economic growth and political stability in the last decade, it is also considered a major source of corruption and driver for political patronage networks. Public financial management, political processes, the judiciary and the police count among the sectors considered to be most vulnerable to corruption.”

    “While the constitution does not allow members of parliament, cabinet ministers or judges to own businesses, such provisions do not exist for the president or relatives of government officials (Freedom House 2013a, 2013b). According to Freedom House (2013a, 2013b), investigative reports published by foreign media in 2012 revealed considerable private assets allegedly controlled by the president and his family, including monopolies in key (and lucrative) sectors of the economy, and pointed to business dealings of presidential circles in the gold or construction industry. For example, according to the 2012 country report on human rights practices, an investigative journalist reported that the Eurovision concert hall was built by a sub- contractor in which the presidential family had hidden ownership stakes (US Department of State 2012b). According to Freedom House (2013b), these reports led the president to sign legal amendments aimed at protecting the confidentiality of corporate structures and ownership arrangements.”

    Ms Aliyeva, welcome to Malta taghna lkoll.

  22. curious says:

    It is never too late to learn.

    “The Maltese president said the two countries enjoy high-level relations and the two nations share common values.”

    Malta hosts exhibition within IDEA campaign initiated by Leyla Aliyeva
    http://www.news.az

  23. Botom says:

    No it is not Villa Francia but Girgenti Palace.

  24. Min Jaf says:

    Ara, Leyla, dawn it-twins tieghi, Etolie u Soleil. Illum Kellom il-futboll w il-ballet, allura gibtlek it-ritratt minflok biex xorta wahda tkun tista tiggusthom.

  25. Allo Allo says:

    Off topic but what’s this business about Members of Parliament not being allowed to attribute bad motives to other members? I can understand that the MPs need to be responsible in their allegations but the logical conclusion of this gag is that Ministers cannot be accused of corruption, mismanagement, bad conduct even where it exists.

  26. Angus Black says:

    She must have collected her European passport from her admirers in the Maltese government.

  27. Anthony says:

    I know Villa Preziosi very well but I cannot recognize it from this one shot.

    I just hope for the house’s previous owners’ sake that this daughter of a villain par excellence was not entertained in the same house where one of Malta’s most valiant sons died.

    I am referring, of course, to Ugo Mifsud, my grand father’s schoolmate, who literally gave his life for his country.

  28. Dissident says:

    The photography exhibition they are looking at is less exciting than a bunch of $1 stock photos

  29. janeff says:

    What amazes me is the cheek the PL has in again producing its old past-its-sell-by-date pseudo-political rock-opera that goes by the name of ‘Gensna’ (easily translates as ‘Our Nation’) while it is busy selling Maltese citizenship.

  30. Nocona says:

    Hooker heels n’ all.

  31. Edward says:

    I wonder what Mrs Muscat thinks of what is called “The Belt of Happiness”?

    It is a long wall from the airport to the city centre which conceals the poverty from the tourists who are visiting. You’d go to Baku and never see the poor or working class because they are hidden by the government behind this wall.

    Since Muscat was elected as leader, the Labour Party has gone on about how “middle class” they are. Sorry, but I know no one of the middle class who would be so friendly towards people who hide their poor from their visitors.

    • Edward says:

      By the way, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was in Malta to pick up a passport.

      Her family have used their position in their country to make millions. As a result, she and her sister are both owners of companies all across their country, including a gold mine, and their younger brother is also the proud owner of a house on Dubai’s “Palm”. She is also involved in businesses in Panama. A Maltese passport might be exactly what she wants.

      • Jozef says:

        And guess who gets to keep that money. We’ll never get the full list.

        The scheme was designed specifically to cater for families of the sort.

        We’ve been displaced by Muscat’s Labour, Henley and Partners and these criminals.

        Good to know Malta’s their refuge, an accomplice to the wrongdoing and oppression of their countries’ population.

        Libyans, North Koreans, Azeris, we’re the ones who’ll take a cut from their money as they’re arrested, tortured and left to their own devices.

        L-aqwa ic-children’s allowance, erm social fund.

      • Tabatha White says:

        I’m still not 100% clear on whether that secrecy clause has been formally removed.

        Has it?

    • ciccio says:

      “The slim corridor that some Azeris call the Belt of Happiness starts at Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International airport. The new road into town is as black and shiny as the vast pools of oil that paid for it, as well as for everything else in Azerbaijan. And what oil doesn’t pay to fix, it pays to hide. Sand-colored concrete walls line the highway, but through their latticed arabesques you can just make out the woeful shacks behind them.”

      http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/15/t-magazine/big-in-baku.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

  32. Gahan says:

    “A banquet was arranged at the Maltese Premier’s summer residence in honor of Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva.”

    The report was on 18th February 2014
    http://www.today.az/news/politics/131045.html

    This was probably the plane on which she arrived:

    http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2014/02/photographs-of-the-azerbaijan-government-jet-at-malta-airport-on-monday/

    And here’s a nice video of the occasion:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqJMYE1sEWM

  33. ciccio says:

    From High Teas for the High Society to Underground Events with Corrupt and Despotic Regimes.

  34. Gahan says:

    According to Wikipedia Leyla is married to businessman and singer Emin Agalarov. She has twin sons, Ali and Mikail, who were born in 2008. A perfect match for Soleil and Etoile.

    http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSvqsgtKaxDddD_QAG3HaiqxXsBEbIaSdwZav7w27mlkOxjk92X

  35. Felix says:

    The Opposition must bring this matter up in parliament. Malta is not the Muscat family’s private home and property.

  36. kev says:

    “I took this the moment he woke up, so I called it The Dawn Boner.”

  37. Makjavel says:

    Ghidli ma min taghmila u nghidlek x’int.

    Kliem il-gherf Malti.

  38. Edgar says:

    The chair Mrs. Muscat is sitting on has become to small for her. The Muscats seem to be growing by the day.

  39. gigi says:

    Nahseb qed turiha r-ritratt ta’ l-istilla u x-xemx.

  40. Rita Camilleri says:

    What was Mrs. Muscat showing her? I hope not a photo of the twins.

  41. Eric le Rouge says:

    Daphne, what’s your email please?

    [Daphne – [email protected]]

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