AD Leader Carmel Cacopardo Requests Standards Commissioner To Investigate Muscat’s €20,000 Bvglari Watch Gift
Alternattiva Demokratika’s leader, Carmel Cacopardo, took to Facebook on Christmas Eve to inform his followers that he had written to George Hyzler – the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards – to request the investigation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s €20,000 Bvlgari watch.
On Christmas Eve, Lovin Malta exclusively revealed a gift that the outgoing Prime Minister had received from business magnate Yorgen Fenech in 2014.
Cacopardo slammed Muscat’s acceptance of the gift, indicating a breach in the Code of Ethics that states Cabinet Ministers may not accept gifts of any shape, form or value from those who may influence their decisions while in government.
Sources told Lovin Malta that the watch cost around €20,000 back in 2004 and had significantly risen in value by the time it was given to Muscat.
Sources said Fenech gave the white-gold watch to Muscat in Christmas 2014 and was not the only gift the businessman gave to the Prime Minister throughout the years.
Muscat has still not responded to questions sent by Lovin Malta to confirm or deny the gifts, but the Prime Minister was active online yesterday – tweeting a Merry Christmas wish to his followers.
Roberta Metsola has also weighed in with her thoughts on the revelation, citing an old tale of former president Vincent Tabone and the turkey he refused to take in at Christmastime.
George Hyzler had met AD before to discuss the issue of lobbying, and during that meeting the Commissioner had informed the delegation that his office was currently in the process of finalising proposals to regulate lobbying.
Hyzler also revealed that his office were attempting to revise the Code of Ethics for Ministers and Members of Parliament.
Yorgen Fenech, the former Tumas Group CEO and Electrogas shareholder, stands accused of complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Muscat had denied any relationship with Fenech earlier in the year, but since then it has been revealed that he attended the wedding of Pilatus bank chairman Sayed Ali Sadr Hasheminejad with Fenech and his former Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri.
The three travelled together to Italy for the intimate wedding of Hasheminejad, who is currently facing charges in the US over alleged sanctions dodging and money laundering.
Muscat’s Bvlgari watch is part of a limited edition collection, emblazoned with Malta and the EU’s flags to mark the 10th anniversary of Malta’s inclusion into the EU.
The watch was one of 25 acquired by Fenech’s late father George Fenech, who died in December 2014. The watch was said to have been gifted to Muscat over Christmas that same year.