Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi have asked the court for more time before they can comment on Repubblika’s request for an inquiry to start into alleged corruption and money-laundering connected with the hospitals scandal.
Though they predictably dismissed the application filed by Repubblika as “mere speculation” they proceed to complain the report was made of more than 150 pages with 46 documents annexed. They said they will need a lot of time to review what they’ve been accused of because Repubblika’s application “deserves their attention”.
Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi told the court they’re politicians and therefore they’re very busy with their jobs. They are particularly busy right now, they said, with electoral campaigning for the European and local elections.
Finally, and paradoxically, the three Ministers said the matter of the hospitals scandal is already being looked into by the Auditor General so the information needed to answer to Repubblika’s application has been gathered for the NAO audit that is still underway.
They attached to their request for an extension to the court a copy of the NAO’s terms of reference for the VGH inquiry which are dated January 2018, 17 months ago.
In spite of their assertion that evidence in their defence has been collected as part of an auditor’s inquiry that has been ongoing for 17 months, the three Ministers said they need time to gather the same information to be able to respond to Repubblika.
The Court refused Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi’s request for a two-month extension, reminding the Ministers that by their own admission all the documentation they need is “certainly already collected” and its therefore not necessary to take so long to reply. A short extension to 3 June has been accorded instead.
There are obviously significant differences between an application to start a Magisterial inquiry and terms of reference for an auditor’s report. I’ll name just one. An auditor’s report does not put you on the path to criminal action. What Repubblika has asked for, does.