Government reacts as Muscat demands explanations on Sunday Times revelations

Updated with government reaction at 5.20 p.m. Labour leader Joseph Muscat said today that e-mails related to the oil procurement scandal published by The Sunday Times today posed very serious questions and it was incumbent of the prime minister and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt to clear the air. Speaking in a One TV interview, Dr Muscat said he would give the prime minister the benefit of the doubt on his decision to recommend a presidential pardon to businessman George Farrugia. He was sure that the prime minister had more information about the granting of the pardon. It also appeared that the prime minister had been given advice by the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner. He did not wish to cast doubts until he himself had further information, Dr Muscat said. But, he insisted, a clear explanation was needed over the revelation in The Sunday Times about two very important points. The first was how an official of Dutch oil company Trafigura had asked the local representative how his meeting with Austin Gatt had gone. It was worth pointing out, Dr Muscat said, that Dr Gatt had said that when he met this businessman – George Farrugia - he never discussed Enemalta...