Alternattiva Demokratika has called for an open hearing to take place at the European Parliament over John Dalli’s accusation that the EU’s anti-fraud agency OLAF and the tobacco company Swedish Match were “out to get him”.

In a letter to European Parliament President Martin Schultz, AD chairman Arnold Cassola quoted Mr Dalli as saying “they knew that with me as the Commissioner there would be a tough tobacco directive, full stop. I think that was the Commission’s motivation”.

Mr Dalli also said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso had tried to tell him to “go slow” on the directive and that Commission Secretary General Caterine Day had an interest in postponing its launch.

These serious allegations on entrapment warrant a public hearing with Mr Barroso, according to Prof. Cassola.