Here’s a real oil scandal that Malta Today might like to investigate very thoroughly
Published:
February 8, 2015 at 12:46pm
Perhaps they can dig around and set the public’s mind at rest that no palms were crossed with silver.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150208/local/questions-over-mobc-deal-struck-without-tender.555291
The real oil scandals started lately. But the people are blinded.
The people were equally blinded until the Opposition (PL) made a meal of an alleged ‘oil scandal’ that, at least partially, influenced the last election result.
“It was announced earlier this week that WFS is currently in court with its insurance company after falling prey to an $18 billion bunkering scam.”
http://shipandbunker.com/news/emea/712006-malta-bunkering-company-signs-agreement-with-wfs
Konrad Mizzi’s reasoning is interesting.
Since the deal was struck with an international company how did Konrad Mizzi exclude all other international companies under the one sweeping statement that all Maltese companies are involved in court actions or being investigated?
How/why were other international companies excluded?
However, in an exchange of correspondence seen by this newspaper, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said he could not issue a tender as “all local bunkering companies are involved in some kind of court action or are currently under investigation”.
Which is this ‘leading international fuel company’?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150208/local/questions-over-mobc-deal-struck-without-tender.555291
‘All public contracts between €120,000 and the EU thresholds of €130,000 for service and supply tenders, and €45,000,000 for works tenders, may be procured after a call for tenders published in the Malta Government Gazette.’
http://europa.eu/youreurope/business/public-tenders/tools-database/index_en.htm#malta_en_benefiting-from-public-contracts
If this deal is above the €130,000 mark, than any company situated in any EU country would have been eligible to tender and the call should have been published in the Government Gazette and the Official Journal of the EU.
Konrad Mizzi’s excuse that ‘all local bunkering companies are involved in some kind of court action or are currently under investigation’ does not hold water and the Public Accounts Committee should be looking into this matter.
http://maltarightnow.com/news/2015/02/08/neil-harrison-jirrizenja-minn-kap-tas-central-visa-unit/
Do you expect a corrupt politician to do otherwise?
This is the minister who unashamedly approved the payment of Eur13,000 a month to his wife so that she could live away from him and run an embassy that is not needed and that does not in fact exist.
If Konrad Mizzi can justify this form of abuse of power, he can justify doing anything.
Perhaps Mr Mizzi can explain why the Maltese company representing WSF has an exclusivity to use Malta Oil Bunkering Company tanks to store fuels.
The Malta government keeps petrol prices up, while WSF and Palms are making a fortune distributing and selling fuel (taking advantage of the current market low prices) to petrol stations.
Has anyone seen cheaper fuel prices at petrol stations?
Can the Malta Resource Authority please investigate?