Proof or otherwise -- Provi jew le

- no title specified

I would imagine many of you, probably not everyone, would be following the spectacle of corruption allegations being levelled at the Maltese Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, and people around him.

It's being alleged that there are companies in Panama and the British Virgin Islands, whose ultimate beneficiaries were people around the prime minister1 and through which occurred, amongst others, tax evasion and corrupt payments connected to citizenship scheme for foreign investors. There is another allegation that another company registered in Panama, Egrant, has its beneficial owner being the prime minister's wife2, and that Egrant received $1 million from the Azerbaijani President's daughter.3 The Prime Minister has vehemently denied his or his wife's involvement.

It has to be said that companies in Panama, or any other jurisdiction having low (or zero) levels of income tax (a tax haven), generally are opened for three reasons:

(a)to conduct business in the geographical location, which is legitimate;
(b)to be in a position to carry out multinational financial transactions, so that income incurred in a country with a high tax rate is registered instead in a tax haven, and this may or may not be legitimate depending upon the laws of the country where the income originates;
(c)so that the ultimate beneficiary of the income ending up in the tax haven is unknown, which is illegitimate.

The allegations being made are (b) and (c).

This story is at least as hot and fascinating as the allegations against the ex-Nationalist Minister and ex-European Commissioner, John Dalli. I consider it is of higher consequence, involving a current prime minister, and probably soils the image of the country in the world's eyes, whatever the final outcome.

Without hesitation, the allegations being made, generally without direct documentation, are serious, and on paper seem convincing, nevertheless they remain allegations at this stage.

What has been presented so far is evidence. Whether it's accepted, by the competent authority (court), as proof of criminal activity, one has to wait and see. The situation is still evolving day by day.

These allegations and other related ones were made by a well known journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, based on the famous Panama Papers, a whistleblower and her own investigative work. Caruana Galizia is not known for her Labour sympathies, nevertheless evidence of possibly criminal activity has to be looked at closely, regardless of provenance.

Naturally the Nationalist Party (NP) is having a field day, having much to gain from the fallout. This is understandable on recalling that the NP needs any help it can get to reverse the result of the 2013 electoral defeat, where it lost the popular vote 55% to 43%, which was the biggest difference between the two parties since the elections of 1955.4 This issue has the potential to get them over the line.

Here I have no intention of getting into the merits of the matter, except to comment on some aspects that have been raised, with the limitations of an observer situated on the other side of the world.

One of these is a reply by Caruana Galizia to those asking her to substantiate her allegations. She is reported to have stated at the end of last month that this request was “pathetic” and that it's not for her “to prove the guilt of these people, but they who should be proving their innocence.”5

Now many countries around the world hold the principle that people are innocent until proven guilty, and Malta is no exception, actually this principle is established in the highest law of the land, i.e. the Maltese Constitution at Article 39(5).

I'm sure this fact is known very well by Caruana Galizia, who is no fool. So why would she make such a statement?

I think that her interest (at least at this time) is not the justice process followed by the Criminal Court, but the deliberations that occur in the court of public opinion, whose relevance is increasing the closer we get to the date of the next general election (which has been announced). In my life, I've heard more people cite the old Maltese adage, literally translated to “the reed does not crackle in vain”, equivalent to the English “there's no smoke without fire” than that principle in the Maltese Constitution cited earlier. People are likely to arrive at their own conclusion much quicker than any judicial process, the latter actually having started (I'm referring to the magistrate inquest under way).

Therefore, I consider her statement to be populism more than a call for justice.

I've also observed Prime Minister Muscat's reaction to that person who associated his surname with one of the Panama companies, Egrant. Muscat first said that he did not want to comment about the person, and in the same breath pointed out that she had been accused of fraud and false reports.6 It seems to me that since he had asked for a magistrate inquest, it would have been better to refrain from criticising a witness to the inquest, where he might appear to be attempting to influence the said inquest.

Another comment regards insiders who decide to uncover what they deem to be unethical or illegal activities. These people are generally very vulnerable to retaliation by the organisations they work in. The information provided, often is useful to the opposition of the day but detrimental to the government of the day.

Today, the NP is asking for protection for the whistleblower involved in this case,7, which is a reasonable request. It is easy to make such a request when the information being provided is to your advantage. One needs to see how they would act when, inevitably, there are allegations against themselves while being in government, whether in the near or distant future.

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Nimmaġina li ħafna minnkom, forsi mhux kulħadd, qiegħdin issegwu xi ftit jew wisq l-ispettaklu tal-allegazzjonijiet ta' korruzzjoni kontra l-Prim Ministru Laburista Malti, Joseph Muscat, u nies ta' madwaru.

Qed jiġi allegat li hemm kumpanniji fil-Panama u l-British Virgin Islands, li l-benefiċjarji aħħarija tagħhom huma nies ta' madwar il-prim ministru1 u li permezz tagħhom fost l-oħrajn saret evażjoni tat-taxxa u pagamenti korrotti konnessi mal-iskema taċ-ċittadinanza ta' investituri barranin. Hemm allegazzjonijiet oħra li hemm kumpannija oħra rreġistrata fil-Panama, Egrant, li l-benefiċjarja aħħarija tagħha hija l-mara tal-prim ministru2, u li l-Egrant irċeviet $miljun dollaru mit-tifla tal-President tal-Ażerbajġan.3 Il-Prim Ministru ċaħad bil-qawwa l-involviment tiegħu jew tal-mara tiegħu.

Irid jingħad li kumpanniji fil-Panama, jew ġurisdizzjonijiet oħra li għandhom rati baxxi (jew żero) tat-taxxa fuq id-dħul (tax haven), ġeneralment jinfetħu għal tliet raġunijiet

(a) biex jagħmlu negozju fil-post lokali geografiku, li huwa leġittimu

(b) biex ikunu jistgħu isiru transazzjonijiet finanzjarji multinazzjonali, biex dħul f'pajjiż b'rati għolja ta' taxxa jiġi rreġistrat fit-tax haven, u dan jista' jkun leġittimu jew le skont il-liġijiet tal-pajjiż fejn isir id-dħul

(ċ) biex id-dħul li jispiċċa fit-tax haven ma jkunx magħruf għal min hu, li huwa illeġittimu.

L-allegazzjonijiet li qed isiru huma tat-tip (b) u (ċ).

Din l-istorja hija mill-inqas affaxxinanti u taħraq daqs l-allegazzjonijiet kontra l-eks-Ministru Nazzjonalista u eks-Kummissarju tal-Unjoni Ewropeja, John Dalli. Jien ngħid li hi iktar ta' konsegwenza, għax tinvolvi prim ministru kurrenti, u aktarx tħammeġ lill-pajjiż f'għajnejn id-dinja, ikun x'ikun l-eżitu finali.

Mingħajr tlaqliq, l-allegazzjonijiet, ġeneralment mingħajr dokumentazzjoni diretta, huma serji, u fuq il-karta jidhru konvinċenti, madankollu jibqgħu allegazzjonijiet f'dan l-istadju.

Li ġiet ppreżentata hija evidenza. Jekk tinżammx, mill-awtorità kompetenti (il-qorti), li din tipprova aġir kriminali wieħed irid jistenna u jara. Is-sitwazzjoni għadha tevolvi bil-ġurnata.

Dawn l-allegazzjonijiet u oħrajn relatati saru minn ġurnalista magħrufa, Daphne Caruana Galizia, bbażati fuq il-famużi karti tal-Panama, minn xhud ta' ġewwa (whistleblower) u minn xogħol investigattiv tagħha. Caruana Galizia mhix magħrufa għas-simpatija tagħha għall-Partit Laburta, madankollu evidenza ta' aġir possibilment kriminali jrid jiġi mixtarr, jiġi minn fejn jiġi.

Naturalment, qabeż fuq din l-istorja l-Partit Nazzjonalista, li għandu sew x'jiggwadanja mir-riperkussjonijiet. Dan jinftiehem meta tiftakar li l-PN għandu bżonn ta' palata biex jaqleb ir-riżultat tat-telfa elettorali tal-2013, fejn tilef il-vot popolari 55% għal 43%, li kienet l-ikbar differenza bejn iż-żewġ partiti l-kbar mill-elezzjoni tal-1955.4 Din l-istorja għandha l-potenzjal li xxaqleb il-pendlu.

Jien hawn m'iniex beħsiebni nidħol fil-merti, ħlief li nikkummenta fuq xi aspetti li tqajmu, bil-limitazzjonijiet kollha ta' osservatur li qiegħed in-naħa l-oħra tad-dinja.

Waħda minnhom hi tweġiba li tat Caruana Galizia għal min kien qed jitlobha tissostanzja l-allegazzjonijiet tagħha. Ġiet irrappurtata li qalet fl-aħħar tax-xahar li għadda li din it-talba kienet “patetika”, u li mhix hi “li trid tipprova l-ħtija ta' dawn in-nies, imma huma jridu jippruvaw l-innoċenza tagħhom”.5

Issa f'ħafna pajjiżi madwar id-dinja, jeżisti l-prinċipju stabbilit li bniedem huwa innoċenti sakemm misjub ħati, u Malta mhix eċċezzjoni, anzi dan il-prinċipju huwa garantit mill-ogħla liġi tal-pajjiż, jiġifieri l-Kostituzzjoni ta' Malta f'Artiklu 39(5).

Jien persważ li dan il-fatt tafu sew Caruana Galizia, li ħmar żgur mhix. Allura għalfejn tagħmel stqarrija bħal din?

Jien naħseb li l-interess tagħha (talinqas għalissa) mhux il-proċess tal-ġustizzja li jsir fil-Qorti Kriminali, imma d-deliberazzjoni li jsir fil-qorti tal-opinjoni pubblika, li r-rilevanza tagħha kienet qed tiżdied iktar ma kienet qed tersaq id-data tal-elezzjoni ġenerali li jmiss (li issa tħabbret). Jien f'ħajti iktar smajt nies isemmu l-qawl Malti “il-qasba ma ċċaqċaqx għalxejn” milli dak il-prinċipju tal-Kostituzzjoni ta' Malta li semmejt qabel. In-nies aktarx li jaslu għall-konklużjonijiet tagħhom b'ħeffa bil-wisq iktar mgħaġġla minn kwalunkwe proċess ġudizzjarju, li dan tal-aħħar qiegħed iseħħ (qed nirreferi għall-inkjesta maġisterjali).

Għalhekk, dik l-istqarrija nqisha bħala populiżmu iktar milli għajta għall-ġustizzja.

Osservajt ukoll ir-reazzjoni tal-Prim Ministru Muscat għal dik il-persuna li assoċjat lil kunjomu ma' waħda mill-kumpanniji msemmija ta' Panama, l-Egrant. Muscat l-ewwel qal li ma ried jagħti l-ebda kumment fuq din il-persuna u fl-istess nifs qal li kienet akkużata bi frodi u rapporti foloz.6 Jien jidhirli li peress li talab li ssir l-inkjesta maġisterjali, aħjar li qagħad lura milli jikkritika xhud għal din l-inkjesta, fejn jista' jidher li qed jipprova jinfluenza lill-istess inkjesta.

Kumment ieħor huwa fuq persuni minn ta' ġewwa li jiddeċiedu li jikxfu dak li jaraw li jkun aġir inetiku jew illegali. Dawn il-persuni ġeneralment ikunu vulnerabbli għal ritaljazzjoni mill-organizzazzjoni li jkunu jaħdmu fiha. L-informazzjoni li jagħtu, ġieli tkun utli ħafna għall-oppożizzjoni tal-ġurnata, imma detrimentali għall-gvern tal-ġurnata.

Illum il-PN qed jitlob għall-protezzjoni tal-whistleblower li involut f'dan il-każ,7 li hija ħaġa raġjonevoli. Huwa faċli li tagħmel talba bħal din meta l-informazzjoni li qed tingħata qed ttik vantaġġ politiku. Wieħed jara kif jaġixxu meta, inevitabbilment, ikun hemm allegazzjonijiet kontra l-amministrazzjoni tagħhom waqt li jkunu fil-gvern, kemm jekk fil-futur qarib jew dak imbiegħed.

1https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/04/brian-tonna-signed-sale-maltese-citizenship-agreement/, retrieved 1/5/2017

2http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-04-30/local-news/EXCLUSIVE-I-could-not-fly-home-to-bury-my-mum-police-took-my-passport-at-request-of-Pilatus-Bank-6736173688, retrieved 1/5/2017

3http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-01/local-news/Egrant-Magisterial-inquiry-why-there-are-no-terms-of-reference-6736173686, retrieved 2/5/2017

4http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/excel_doc/0019/207343/np-total.xls, retrieved 2/5/2017

5http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170423/local/daphne-caruana-galizia-i-have-a-whistleblower-and-documents.645928, retrieved 4/5/2017

6http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-04-29/local-news/PM-Muscat-says-PN-leader-building-Egrant-case-on-person-accused-of-fraud-6736173682, retrieved 2/5/2017

7http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-04-29/local-news/Campaign-of-trying-to-discredit-whistleblower-disgusting-PN-6736173652, retrieved 2/5/2017

1https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/04/brian-tonna-signed-sale-maltese-citizenship-agreement/, retrieved 1/5/2017

2http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-04-30/local-news/EXCLUSIVE-I-could-not-fly-home-to-bury-my-mum-police-took-my-passport-at-request-of-Pilatus-Bank-6736173688, retrieved 1/5/2017

3http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-01/local-news/Egrant-Magisterial-inquiry-why-there-are-no-terms-of-reference-6736173686, retrieved 2/5/2017

4http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/excel_doc/0019/207343/np-total.xls, retrieved 2/5/2017

5http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170423/local/daphne-caruana-galizia-i-have-a-whistleblower-and-documents.645928, retrieved 4/5/2017