Dalli cannot face 'psycho-social exposure'

Medical certificates enabling former European Commissioner John Dalli to postpone meeting Maltese investigators state that he cannot travel or face “psycho-social exposure”. They say the “patient is not able to fly or travel long distances because of a medical problem”. He is in the “psycho-social” care of Dr Michael Scholten, whose clinic is in Mettlach, Germany. However, Mr Dalli last week gave a statement to Belgian judicial police, in testimony that lasted three-and-a-half hours. He gave Belgian police a recorded conversation between Green MEP José Bové and Swedish Match official Johann Gabrielsson, in which the latter said OLAF officials as well as the Maltese police “suggested” he stick to a version of events that had been discredited in investigations. The Maltese police denied any such suggestion. A day later, he failed to appear for libel proceedings he initiated in Malta against The Times. His lawyer said he would be filing a medical certificate. More details in The Times. mmicallef@timesofmalta.com