Initiate a joint Europol investigation in light of the latest corruption concerns involving Enemalta’s purchase of a Montenegrin wind farm, the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has urged Malta’s Attorney General. 

“Evidence continues to build that Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination was motivated by her investigation of a kickback scheme involving senior Maltese government officials, Maltese and other state-owned enterprises, and private businesses,” they wrote.

The latest scandal concerns revelations that Cifidex, a company which Reuters said is owned by Azeri national and former Electrogas director Turab Musayev, had bought a Montenegrin wind farm for €2.9 million after receiving a loan from main suspect Yorgen Fenech, and had sold the farm to Enemalta for €10.3 million two weeks later. 

Cifidex then repaid Fenech the loan, along with a further €4.6 million, with the money passing through Fenech’s company 17 Black, which was identified as a target client of former tourism minister Konrad Mizzi’s and former chief-of-staff Kieth Schembri’s Panama companies.

Musayev has denied any wrongdoing and has said he had no reason to suspect Fenech had any involvement in Caruana Galizia’s murder.

He said Cifidex had its own independent management and that his business with Fenech involved due diligence from reputable and established bankers, accountants and lawyers.

The foundation, which was set up after the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, welcomed Prime Minister Robert Abela’s statement yesterday in which he said that Malta’s police force will be given more resources to investigate the Montenegro wind farm scandal. 

“Authorities must ensure full justice is done and investigate anyone involved in this case, no matter who they are, so the truth can come out,” Abela told a press conference.

However, the foundation warned that Malta’s law enforcement has “collapsed under the weight of Fenech, Mizzi and Schembri’s international corruption” under Joseph Muscat’s government and needs international assistance in these investigations.

“The scale and extent of the transnational crime exposed by Daphne Caruana Galizia and the journalists continuing her work can only be properly investigated by an international team unrestricted by national borders.” 

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