We are shocked by the news reported by the Times of Malta that Yorgen Fenech’s temporarily frozen assets have been returned to him. This was done because since he was arrested, the government changed the law on the temporary freezing of assets and after the Attorney General failed to operate the new law.
The government changed the law that regulates the temporary freezing of assets for people accused of serious crimes, and as Repubblika said when this change in the law was made, the government dismantled an important tool of the state in the fight against organized crime.
We attended and spoke in the Parliamentary committee that was discussing it. We appealed to the government not to be the one to weaken the fight against organized crime. The temporary freezing of the assets of persons accused of serious crimes is necessary to prevent them from hiding the profits they have made from the crimes they are accused of committing.
Minister Jonathan Attard who was piloting this law was hard-headed and proceeded with the government’s support. After the government changed the law, it was up to the Attorney General to implement it to ensure that it can somehow continue to be used against serious crimes.
Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg did not implement the law, and because she did not do her job, Yorgen Fenech took back the assets that were temporarily frozen.
This is a serious failure of the Maltese State. Minister Jonathan Attard changed the law and Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg did not implement it.
If this was a genuine mistake (which we don’t believe it was), Jonathan Attard and Victoria Buttigieg should resign today. If this was not a genuine mistake, this is the behaviour of a mafia state.