John Dalli sent Giovanni Kessler the message that if he sets foot in Malta, he might be arrested. Did he issue this threat with the connivance and knowledge of the Malta police and government?
I rather suspect that he did it with impunity. That is the sort of person he is. He now thinks he controls the government, and we can’t blame him for this misapprehension (is it indeed a misapprehension?) because the prime minister’s reaction to his being investigated by OLAF was to make him a government consultant. He even called in the press to have him photographed shaking Dalli’s hand at the Auberge de Castille.
The Malta Independent reports, shockingly:
The Head of the EU’s anti-fraud office – Giovanni Kessler – was warned that he could be arrested if he set foot in Malta, it has emerged today. The information was fed to Mr Kessler by a source who was conveying a message from former European Commissioner John Dalli.
In a letter to Speaker Anglu Farrugia, Mr Kessler also claimed that Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit turned down several requests made by OLAF to collaborate on a new investigation concerning Mr Dalli.
“On three separate occasions (on 22 October 2013, 31 March 2014 and 6 May 2014), OLAF requested Mr Peter Paul Zammit to collaborate on a new OLAF investigation concerning Mr Dalli. To date, and despite the reminders, OLAF has not received any reply from Mr Zammit, although Malta is required by law to cooperate and supply any information deemed necessary by OLAF.
Please read the rest of the story via the link below.
This makes Malta look like a really seedy country. EU Commissioner is investigated and forced out of office for suspected corruption (Caesar’s wife & c & c). Sacked EU Commissioner faces prosecution in home country, Malta, but refuses to return to face justice, citing ‘psycho-social disorder’ which renders him unable to fly or face investigation, and fielding one medical certificate after another from an untraceable psychotherapist.
Sacked EU Commissioner flies to Malta shortly before general election, when Labour is a definite cert for victory and the police commissioner is busy serving not him but the writer of this blog with an arrest warrant.
Labour is elected to power. Police Commissioner is sacked. Puppet police commissioner is appointed instead. Puppet police commissioner’s first act is to say that there will be no proceedings against sacked EU Commissioner. Sacked EU Commissioner holds thanksgiving mass said by his brother (not the ALLEGED drug-trafficker, but the other one who is a priest) in his hometown of Hal Qormi.
The European Commissioner carries on with its investigations, for now there is more news: a secret 24-hour trip to the Bahamas, made when the EU Commissioner was supposed to be at a conference in Cyrus. The woman he met there was a shady international racketeer with several false passports and aliases, an address in Sliema’s High Street and a client brief at John Dalli & Associates, known in Malta as Mary Swan aka Lady Bird.
John Dalli uses a ‘messenger’ to communicate to OLAF investigator Giovanni Kessler the threat that if he sets foot in Malta to further his investigations, he ‘might be arrested’.
And Kessler and his bosses obviously assume that if John Dalli, who hasn’t been arrested himself for X reasons, is making an arrest threat against Kessler, then he is doing it with the confidence of the exact same X reasons.
NB: This undemocratic personal attack on the integrity of the fine and upstanding Mr Dalli is not sponsored by Lawrence Gonzi, his successor or any of their present or former aides and/or associates. Some of the information on Mary Swan and a copy of at least one of her false passports (the one in which she tries to pass herself off as a Filippina) and the details of his flight itinerary for the Bahamas were, however, passed on by members of my international worldwide network of spies.
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John Dalli’s stories have already done enough damage to the reputation of Malta.
What would the arrest of Giovanni Kessler do in the democratic west to what is left of that reputation?
We should now be clear and honest with ourselves.
Any positive reputation that Malta had prior to the election is now history.
Malta has only one reputation now: it is a seedy and corrupt little island nation in the Mediterranean that is a full member of the EU. The latter point (EU membership) being the bait to attract other seedy and corrupt nations and individuals to be our new found friends.
This is the only reputation Malta has today.
Malta’s EU membership has served to reveal the true seedy character of the majority of the Maltese.
Is this the real reason why the Commissioner of Police is being ousted? Or is he resigning out of his free will or maybe a move of convenience for both the government and Peter Paul Zammit?
This is the bottom of the barrel.
If Giovanni Kessler set foot in Malta , he would be declared persona non grata. Now who is the last person that was declared like that?
I think Kessler will be giving evidence on the 7th July 2014 to the House Privileges Committee in the case which the prime minister instituted against the opposition leader Dr Simon Busuttil.
That’s why Dalli told him he’d be arrested on arrival. Dalli doesn’t want Kessler to testify. He’s afraid of what Kessler would say.
Banana republic …. Again
What’s worrying is that I actually believe Kessler will be arrested if he sets foot on Malta.
I don’t think it’s just Bastjan Dalli who’s hearing voices.
You picked the right part of all the stories about this issue today: he sent word via third parties suggesting to Kessler that he might be arrested. Who the fuck does Dalli think he is? If that is not an indirect threat I really do not know what is. If at any point Dalli had an inkling of innocence, he sure lost it after today’s story.
More to the point: what does it say about Malta that Kessler took that threat seriously, rather than dismissing Dalli as an embittered nutcase?
As Ivan Fenech said, thank goodness for someone’s international network of spies. All else is failing miserably.
You say this makes Malta look like a really seedy country as if there is something wrong with that.
Being seedy is one of its biggest attractions.
What strikes me as odd is the pattern used by Muscat. All Sant’s enemies became Muscat’s heroes and friends.
John Dalli – viciously attacked by Sant in Parliament and by the Hate-Machine in Marsa about the Skansa saga and Mater Dei. Became Muscat’s bosom friend.
JPO – again, viciously attacked by Sant (although he was 100% right about him) and by the Labour Media about the Mistra contract. Muscat’s kept him on and gave him Lara as an iced-bun.
Mugliett – attacked over the Regional Road bridge and which eventually lead him to lose votes and a seat in cabinet. Muscat gave him another iced-bun.
Is Muscat sending the message that Sant was completely wrong about these Three Stooges? Was it a strategic move to send Sant away from our shores, in the comfort of the EP?
And Dom Mintoff
Is this truth or fiction?
And who does the Police Commissioner think he is when he refuses to collaborate with OLAF? Puppets are insulted by the comparison.
“When I was in Brussels on the 19th June to meet my lawyers, I also met some journalists. I gave my opinion that with the evidence that is now coming out, Kessler might be in trouble. One of the journalists met me again later and told me that he had given Kessler this information and that Kessler told him that “they must have the tapes of the interviews with Gayle Kimberly and his conversations with the then Prime Minister of Malta”.
Mr ex commissioner will you please confirm that the above quoted are your words.
Because to say and write:
“One of the journalists met me again later and told me that he had given Kessler this information…”
So your aim was to send the information (read threat) to Kessler.
This is very obvious that the ex commissioner used the so-called journalist to ensure that the subtle message is passed on to Kessler.
I think you slipped up very badly here, Mr ex commissioner.
Why is Dalli waiting for Kessler to come to Malta to confront him? He could have easily done it while abroad.
Dalli isn’t waiting to confront Kessler. He’s afraid of what Kessler will say.
I wonder why Dalli is so terrified of this Kessler that he is prepared to ridicule himself in a puerile attempt to dissuade him from coming to Malta.
There seems to be ‘unambiguous circumstantial evidence’ that Dalli is threatening Kessler with arrest if he sets foot in Malta.
Now this is either bluff or Dalli knows what the Police intend doing.
Considering that in normal circumstances the Police never divulge their moves to third parties this new scenario now suggests that Dalli and the Police are in collusion or worse still the Police are being told what to do.
According to The Malta Independent, Owen Bonnici will be writing to OLAF.
“Since different versions exist, the government will be writing to OLAF to provide details of when the letters were sent to the commissioner…”
The information is already available. Why waste time?
“”On three separate occasions (on 22nd October 2013, 31st March 2014 and 6th May 2014) Olaf requested Mr Peter Paul Zammit to collaborate on a new Olaf investigation concerning Mr Dalli. To this date, and despite the reminders, Olaf has not received any answer by Mr Zammit, although Malta is required by law to cooperate and supply the information required by Olaf.”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140702/local/updated-dalli-says-he-wanted-to-confront-kessler-in-malta.526030
The fundamental question is why was Mr Dalli not arraigned after he was interrogated at length by former Police Commissioner Rizzo?
When Mr Dalli was abroad, why was a European or Interpol warrant of arrest not issued?
Was there any political or other form of pressure to arraign and/or not to arraign Mr Dalli? Or was there no or a lack of evidence to sustain a conviction in court?
[Daphne – You know as well as I do that Dalli was wanted in Malta for prosecution. Hence the medical certificates saying he couldn’t fly.]
David, the answer to your fundamental question is spelled out in Mr. Kessler’s letter to the Hon. Anglu Farrugia:
“…Some days later, during a phone call, Mr Rizzo informed me that he had the intention to ask for the indictment of Mr Dalli in the framework of the same investigation. However, in line with Maltese law, such an indictment could only occur in the presence of the person to be arraigned. Since Mr Dalli was not present in Malta at the time, his indictment had to wait for his return.”
http://3c3dbeaf6f6c49f4b9f4-a655c0f6dcd98e765a68760c407565ae.r86.cf3.rackcdn.com/15a900d5e7f3814774306a2e7144649c189316508.pdf
And then we all know what happened after 9 March 2013.
An important detail that must not be missed:
“On three separate occasions (on 22nd October 2013, 31st March 2014 and 6th May 2014) Olaf requested Mr Peter Paul Zammit to collaborate on a new Olaf investigation concerning Mr Dalli. To this date, and despite the reminders, Olaf has not received any answer by Mr Zammit, although Malta is required by law to cooperate and supply the information required by Olaf.”
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140702/local/update-2-dalli-says-he-wanted-to-confront-kessler-in-malta.526030
http://3c3dbeaf6f6c49f4b9f4-a655c0f6dcd98e765a68760c407565ae.r86.cf3.rackcdn.com/15a900d5e7f3814774306a2e7144649c189316508.pdf
The detail is that OLAF is still conducting its second investigation about John Dalli. OLAF was in contact with the Malta Police as recently as 31 March and 6 May.
This must be the same investigation which was initiated in October 2013 and which was reported in The New York Times on 26 September 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/world/europe/european-union-starts-new-graft-inquiry-into-tobacco-regulator.html?_r=0
Ah, the Bahamas…
Perhaps that is why Dalli is no longer doing voluntary consultancy work as a de facto minister for health.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/mobile/view/20140702/local/busuttil-police-commissioner-broke-european-law-in-dalli-case-commissioner-says-olaf-request-had-no-legal-basis.526033
The police commissioner’s reply needs further clarification. He is saying that Giovanni Kessler’s two other requests never reached him and that he did reply to one request.
Let’s assume that none of them are lying. Either there is something wrong in the line of communication. Or the communication was intentionally being blocked by someone along the line.
We know Dalli and Kessler are far from friends. Then why should Dalli pass a message to Kessler that he will be arrested in Malta? This is so illogical and absurd that it can’t possibly be true.
[Daphne – David, your mind works rather differently, I have realised. Everybody correctly read that message as a threat, but you read it as a friendly warning. It’s the former.]
Mr Dalli has no right to arrest Mr Kessler. Mr Kessler knows that he can only be arrested in Malta on suspicion of a crime and therefore has no reason to fear arrest if he has not committed a crime. So what is the aim of such a threat?
Kessler has reason to believe that Dalli has a hold over Malta’s prime minister and police commissioner. There is no reason to believe that the threat is not credible.
David, if I say “If I catch you near my house I’ll kick your butt” would you take it as a friendly warning or a threat?
Come on, use the intelligence you know you have and stop being awkward to look different.
Besides that Dalli may be bluffing in the hope that Kessler will refrain from coming to Malta.
If I was Kessler I’d call his bluff, surround myself with international journalists and come here with all the noise I could garner.
If I were Giovanni Kessler I would holiday in Malta this summer and make it public knowledge where I am staying. Just to see if Jojo has the guts.
We all know what the Labour of the Golden Years were capable of. Old habits tend to die hard.
Still no pointing fingers at Silvio Zammit.
The pivotal point of this story is Mr Zammit. Was Mr Zammit a partner in crime or was this done surreptitiously?
We all know that Mr Zammit was involved, so why point fingers at Dr Giovanni Kessler?
Silvio Zammit was probably just manning the front desk.
and running his own circus on the side……
How I would have loved to be Giovanni Kessler. The first thing I would do is come to Malta and call John Dalli’s bluff. It would also expose what’s going on here if I’m really arrested.
One of the problem with some judicial and other investigating authorities is that they assume guilt by association. This is illegal but appears to be the case with Mr Dalli as well with Mr Sarkozy.
The problem with some people is that they defy logic.
David,
You do not distinguish between the evidence that is needed to secure a criminal conviction and the evidence that a head of an organization needs to ask someone who occupies a position of trust in that organization to resign and the evidence needed to secure a criminal conviction.
Faced with the evidence Kessler had, John Dalli should have resigned without being asked to do so. That would have been the right thing to do considering the post he occupied, the nature of the allegations and the supporting evidence.
As to the criminal charges, there was enough evidence to warrant a criminal charge. From what I can gather the evidence is not simply Dalli’s association with Zammit but logs of telephone calls between them at the ‘relevant’ time.
I hear John Dalli is incorruptible.
I know a very good E.N.T. specialist who may help you.
‘who’ may help you actually.
So was Robespierre, and that worked out ever so brilliantly.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140702/local/busuttil-police-commissioner-broke-european-law-in-dalli-case-commissioner-says-olaf-request-had-no-legal-basis.526033
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140702/local/update-2-dalli-says-he-wanted-to-confront-kessler-in-malta.526030
Dalli ghadu ma xebax jaqa’ ghaz-zufjett. Irid ikompli jpattiha lil-partit ta’ falliment personali tieghu.
What a bad loser.
This saga is becoming dirtier by the day. First they removed Rizzo and the other investigators and now Muscat is doing it again and is replacing the Commissioner of Police who he appointed himself.
So Olaf have to start again with the new commissioner, wasting time. This is the same with the Judge Farrugia Sacco.
On hand Dalli says he wants to confront Kessler in Malta and on the other he sends Kessler a message that he will be arrested if he sets foot in Malta. Obvious that Dalli does not want to confront Kessler. And let’s face it, Dalli is experienced in how to stay away from Malta because of an arrest warrant.
It seems that Dalli and his buddies excel in threatening and warning people.