Montenegro’s Opposition Wants Maltese Parliament’s Cooperation In Wind Farm Investigation, Jason Azzopardi Reveals
All of Montenegro’s Opposition MPs voted in favour of setting up a Special Parliament Committee to investigate a controversial wind farm deal linking the Balkan country to Malta… and one of the more vocal MPs has even reached out to our island’s own.
“Yesterday evening I received this communication from the Opposition in the Parliament of Montenegro concerning the wind farm scandal headed by Konrad Mizzi,” PN MP Jason Azzopardi said on Facebook this morning.
In the email, MP Srdjan Milic explained how all of his fellow Opposition MPs (39 out of the total 81 in Montenegro), had voted in favour of a proposition to create this commitee.
In Milic’s own words, the committee would “investigate all aspects of the Mozura wind farm scandal”, going on to remark that Montenegro has “endemic corruption, especially in the field of energy”.
“It will be for us very important to have, if you think it is possible, cooperation with Parliament of Malta,” the email concludes.
“Note the importance they attached to this scandal, linkinig it to endemic corruption and the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Then compare to the inertia of the Maltese Parliament.”
Azzopardi went on to share screenshots of the agreed-upon Act, which specifically mentions the assassinated Caruana Galizia “and her investigation about the leasing, construction and operation of the Mozura wind farm”.
The newly-established committee is set to have 12 MPs; six from the parliamentary majority and six from the parliamentary minority, with representatives from numerous parties joining the committee.
Among the committee’s tasks are the collecting of information and all relevant documents, and the taking of statements from state officials.
“I shall be replying offering all my help and assistance,” Azzopardi promised.
The Montenegro wind farm deal scandal made headlines once more this summer, with Malta’s police force confirming they are investigating the matter just last month.
The latest corruption reports by Reuters and Times of Malta state 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 the main suspect in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder Yorgen Fenech. Cifidex had sold the farm to Enemalta for €10.3 million two weeks later.
It is alleged that 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 OPM 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.
Malta’s police said an investigation “in collaboration” with Europol and other authorities is currently underway.
What do you make of this?
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