Muscat defends Electrogas deal, but ‘Mizzi could have been more transparent’

Joseph Muscat denied ever discussing plans for a gas-fired power plant with businesspeople who eventually won the multi-million euro project.

Muscat acknowledged that he had met with Paul Apap Bologna and the Fenech family before the 2013 general election to discuss unrelated matters.

The National Audit Office’s report in 2018 found “multiple instances of non-compliance” in the bid of the Electrogas consortium that was awarded the project.

Muscat said those shortcomings were of an “administrative” nature, and that the NAO had concluded that the tendering process did not favour any particular bidder.

His former minister Konrad Mizzi was the most competent person to handle the power station project, but “could have been more transparent”, he said.

Muscat confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with New Energy World, which eventually was not shortlisted in the tendering process.

He said he had been introduced to New Energy World through a Nationalist MP, whom he refused to name claiming lack of their permission.

The Public Account Committee’s hearings on the Electrogas deal will resume next week, with Joseph Muscat’s testimony set to continue.