Jason Azzopardi seeks magisterial inquiry regarding Silvio Schembri
Lawyer Jason Azzopardi has filed a request for a magisterial inquiry into Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, asking the courts to probe his unexplained wealth and citing a number of alleged irregularities involving public land transactions when the La
Lawyer Jason Azzopardi has filed a request for a magisterial inquiry into Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, asking the courts to probe his unexplained wealth and citing a number of alleged irregularities involving public land transactions when the Lands Authority was under the minister's responsibility.
In his court application, filed at the end of last year, Azzopardi claims that land was deliberately undervalued to favour private developers, costing taxpayers millions of euros.
One of the deals mentioned is a parcel of land in Mellieħa Heights which was passed on to a consortium involving Paul Attard, director of GAP Property. A constituency office used by Schembri belongs to Attard, Azzopardi noted.
Last November, the Planning Authority approved the construction of 109 flats and 171 garages on this land.
Other examples mentioned by Azzopardi include the sale of an alley at St George's Bay in the vicinity of Villa Rosa valued at €3 million for just €134,000.
In his application, Azzopardi alleges the pattern of undervalued sales points to a systemic issue requiring urgent investigation.
In his request Azzopardi questioned the minister's unexplained wealth and how he could afford a high-end lifestyle on a minister's salary.
He emphasised that only a magisterial inquiry can secure critical evidence, including financial records and communications.
Schembri denies allegations
In a Facebook post uploaded on New Year's Eve, a few days after the magisterial inquiry request was filed, Schembri denied any wrongdoing, describing the claims "recycled insinuations".
"It is clear that this is part of a coordinated strategy by a clique of individuals whose sole aim is to disrupt and destabilise the work of this government," he said. "Over the past 20 years of political service, I have always given my utmost effort, dedicating 100% of myself to the benefit and development of our country. This will not change, even in the face of these malicious attacks on my family and me, which have one singular purpose: to bring down a democratically elected Labour government."
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