The Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has alleged that Alfred Mifsud, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Malta, received €2,750 (US$3,100) a month for about 18 months from Philip Morris International to act as a middleman or go-between with the former European Union Health Commissioner John Dalli, who was not allowed to have private and unlogged meetings with the company, according to a EurActiv story relayed by the TMA.
The journalist, who had privileged access to the Panama Papers, made the allegation in her blog ‘Running Commentary
The blog said that PMI terminated the agreement with Mifsud after Dalli was forced to resign in October 2012 over allegations that he was aware of a bribe offered in connection with the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive, allegations that Dalli has always strenuously denied.
The blog said that Mifsud, whose role was to convey information and messages between Dalli and PMI, also travelled as PMI’s guest to football matches and other events.
During the period when Mifsud received money from PMI, Dalli was said to have been seen visiting Mifsud’s offices in Malta ‘at least twice a week outside office hours’.
At the time, Dalli, who is Maltese, was said to have spent prolonged periods in Malta and to have flown to the island frequently from Brussels.
Mifsud apparently told EurActiv that he took money from PMI, but said that it was “as a consultant”. When asked what the cigarette manufacturer consulted him on concerning Malta, he replied that it was “local markets, the tobacco industry and the class action legislation that was going through parliament at the time”.