John Dalli willing to help new PN leadership, new government

Former European Commissioner John Dalli said today that he remained a politician and he was willing to help whoever sought his help in Malta, whether it was the new leadership of the Nationalist Party or the new government. Speaking in a One TV interview this morning, Mr Dalli said he was willing and able to contribute his experience for the benefit of the country. He had made similar offers in the past to the Nationalist Party and the government, but heard nothing from Lawrence Gonzi, he said. Mr Dalli was questioned on the ongoing controversy which led to his departure from the European Commission, saying it was his view that Commission President Jose’ Manuel Barroso had wanted to stop movement on the Tobacco Directive which he (Mr Dalli) was working on. Mr Dalli raised questions about meetings which Mr Barroso had had with representatives of a subsidiary of tobacco maker Swedish Match. He also lashed out at Giovanni Kessler, Director-General of the EU anti-fraud agency OLAF for the way he had conducted his investigation and for the way how a lie about his (Mr Dalli's) supposed meeting with Gail Kimberley (as a representative of the tobacco lobby) had been created and...