Siemens Insists It Has Always Acted On ‘Alleged Impropriety’ At Electrogas
The German company Siemens has insisted that it has always acted on allegations of improper conduct at Electrogas, the consortium that constructed and operates Malta’s gas-fired power station.
The consortium, and the contract it was awarded by the Maltese government for the power station, have come under increased scrutiny in recent months, both because of the alleged corruption involved in the project being awarded and executed, as well as because of its potential link to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
At the time of her murder, Caruana Galizia was working on a massive data leak from the country which she had received from an unnamed source.
Replying to questions from the Times of Malta about its involvement in the consortium, a spokesperson for Siemens defended the company’s track record, arguing that “immediate action” had always been taken when it was required.
This, they said, included pushing for the removal of directors implicated in wrongdoing.
In addition to Siemens, the consortium includes Azerbaijan’s Socar as well as GEM Holdings which includes the Tumas and Gasan groups, as well as businessman Paul Apap Bologna. The assassination’s alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech also retains a personal stake in the Maltese part of the Electrogas consortium.
The spokesperson told the Times that it had pushed for Maltese directors’ removal when public information came to light about “alleged improper activities” that were “unrelated to the project”.
Fenech resigned from the company in November 2019, shortly before he was arrested in connection with the Caruana Galizia murder. Socar’s Turab Musayev, who is known to have worked closely with Fenech in the project’s execution, also resigned the following month.
Paul Apap Bologna also resigned as the Maltese representative on the Electrogas consortium’s board after he was revealed to be the owner of a secret Dubai company.
Parliament’s public accounts committee is currently discussing the report from an Auditor General investigation into the Electrogas contract.
Former minister Konrad Mizzi, who piloted the country’s shift to gas and who has also been accused of corruption, has so far appeared before the committee twice but has not yet answered any questions.
The deal is also part of a magisterial inquiry that is underway.
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