MEPs are openly calling for the departure of Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat after the information about the growing corruption scandal involving him and, among others, the Azerbaijani president’s daughter, The Guardian writes.                                                  

The European parliament commission has even invited Muscat to give evidence  within the framework of his official business to Strasbourg on 18 May.   However, the prime minister stated that that was not the right time.

Prime minister of Malta remains in the center of attention of the Panama Papers scandal. It was found out that the accounts of Muscat’s wife, two of their close party partners and Azerbaijani president’s daughter Leyla Aliyeva were opened in one of the Malta banks. Moreover, a video was released, which shows the bank owner leaving the office at night with lots of documents. Blogger and columnist of Malta Independent, Daphne Caruana Galizia, stated that Egrant company, which is mentioned in the Panama papers, is owned by the wife of Malta’s prime minister. Furthermore, the blogger noted that the company registered in the name of Leyla Aliyeva, transferred over million dollars to Egrant company in 2016 through a bank account registered in Dubai.

The ties between Azerbaijan and Malta prime minster struck a raw nerve with the population, considering the fact that the countries cooperate in the sphere of energy, the state oil company of Azerbaijan being the shareholder of the new power station in Malta.   

Muskat and his wife refute their link to the accounts or Egrant company.

Apart from this, the leader of Malta opposition noted that there is evidence that the head of the government staff took bribe to sell the passports of wealthy Russians.