According to the Constitution, the Attorney General did not need the Prime Minister’s permission to grant the pardon to George Farrugia, PL candidates Manuel Mallia and Evarist Bartolo argued this afternoon during a Press conference.

Dr Mallia added that this allowed the Minister in question to hear what the witness had to offer to the case and could have written the pardon accordingly. Evarist Bartolo questioned whether the pardon had to be altered by the Attorney General and the police after it had passed through Cabinet to counter this. The candidates announced that the party will continue to discuss the political side of this issue as public funds were involved, emphasising that €2bn in commissions could have been paid to date.

The people have a right to know the fruits of the Presidential pardon, the candidates explained. Evarist Bartolo asked the Prime Minister whether he has met with people who handed him documents regarding the oil procurement scandal in the past. In addition, the PL candidates demanded to know whether Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communication Austin Gatt’s removal from overseeing Enemalta had anything to do with oil procurement.

Asking questions to Minister Gatt, the candidates insisted that the Minister reveal why the head of Enemalta was asked to resign when he asked for two graduates to look into oil procurement.

When asked about possible information in the hands of the party, the candidates argued that to their knowledge, the PL does not have any information regarding the case held back for political gain.