Final pleas in Dalli court case today - Follow sitting on timesofmalta.com

A case for unfair dismissal filed by former EU Health Commissioner John Dalli against Commission president Jose’ Manuel Barroso continues this afternoon, when lawyers for the two sides make their final pleas. A five-hour sitting yesterday saw Mr Barroso insist that it was impossible for Mr Dalli to remain in his position as European Commissioner given the political situation he was in. The hearing was the latest round in what has been played up by supporters and foes of both sides as a highlight of the Dalli versus Barroso saga, which has been going on ever since Mr Dalli resigned from the European Commission on October 12, 2012. The former PN minister stepped down after the EU anti-fraud agency (OLAF) concluded there was “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” indicating he was aware that his former associate, Silvio Zammit, had asked tobacco firm Swedish Match for a bribe to alter EU tobacco legislation. Mr Dalli has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and throughout the past two years has instead accused the investigating agency, and especially its head Giovanni Kessler, of producing a “fraudulent” investigation which simply had the goal of giving the Commission President an...