Fenech denies receiving €5,000 gift from George Farrugia

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has denied a claim by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo that George Farrugia, the person at the heart of the oil procurement scandal, handed him a gift worth over €5,000 soon after he became minister responsible for Enemalta. Mr Fenech said he never received a gift, of any value, from Mr Farrugia, and if he was saying so, he was lying. He also said he would take legal action against Mr Bartolo and Labour MP Chris Cardona, for repeating the claim. Mr Bartolo made his claim at a press conference shortly after Mr Fenech himself held a press conference on the oil procurement scandal. (See separate story at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130221/local/pn-press-conf.458645) Mr Bartolo said the minister's press conference was an attempt to divert the people's attention in a case which could reach the highest echelons of society. But among the things which Mr Fenech had not spoken about was how, when he became minister responsible for Enemalta, somebody - George Farrugia - had gone to his home with a gift worth more than €5,000. Oil trader George Farrugia is the person who has been granted a presidential pardon for information on the oil procurement...