Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri has denied misappropriating any money in connection with a much-delayed project to build an aquatic centre in Victoria. 

Camilleri described the allegations, made in a request for a magisterial inquiry and revealed earlier on Wednesday, as an attempt “to tarnish my reputation by any means necessary”. 

“This is a political persecution, and everyone will eventually have to answer for their actions,” Camilleri said.  

On Wednesday morning Times of Malta reported that lawyer and ex-PN MP Jason Azzopardi has filed a third request for an investigation into the Gozo minister.  

This latest request concerns the Olympic-sized swimming pool and aquatic centre being built in Victoria, which Azzopardi said should have cost €9 million but is now expected to cost €17 million once completed.  

Azzopardi said the dealings around the project mimic tactics used by the Italian Mafia to embezzle public funds. He requested that a magistrate investigate Camilleri and the Gozo ministry permanent secretary, John Borg, for crimes related to corruption.  

However, Camilleri said that Azzopardi was spreading “misinformation”.  

The Gozo minister said the €9 million tender to construct the pool was only one of seven tenders that were awarded as part of the project. 

Those tenders include calls for excavation works, mechanical and electrical works, finishes, apertures, an adjustable pool flooring system, and other equipment, Camilleri said.  

“The other six (6) tenders related to the completion of this project are being completely ignored," he argued in a post on social media.  

How the pool will look, according to the main contractors ESC.

Camilleri said that those seven tenders were all published on the publicly available eTenders system and awarded to the lowest bidders.

The pool was due to be completed in 2023, and was to be used by water polo competitions and other water sports, according to the main contractor for the project, Excel System Construction. 

As well as the Olympic pool, the centre will also have a community pool, gym and other facilities. 

Azzopardi has also asked the courts to order two other probes into Camilleri. 

One request concerns a road rebuilding project that went over-budget by €10 million. The other request concerns allegations that Camilleri, his wife and others helped favoured people obtain boat moorings Mġarr Harbour in Gozo. 

The government has reacted vehemently to Azzopardi's flurry of inquiry requests. 

On Tuesday, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard tabled the first reading of a bill to amend the criminal code and reform the way people can request a magisterial inquiry. It remains unclear how the government intends to amend the law. 

The amendment was tabled after Robert Abela announced the government's intention to implement the legislative change.  He said the reform of the current system of magisterial inquiries needed reform because people like Jason Azzopardi are “abusing the system”.   

Currently, a private citizen can ask a magistrate to investigate an alleged criminal act. After that request is made, a court decides whether or not to accept that request and begin an investigation. The decision is also subject to appeal. 

Once an inquiry is concluded, its findings are sent to the attorney general's office, where prosecutors decide whether or not to file criminal charges against people or companies investigated in the course of the inquiry.  

Azzopardi has used the existing system to significant effect in the past, with a magisterial inquiry into the Vitals and Steward hospitals scandal having been triggered by a request he filed together with rule of law NGO Repubblika.  

That probe led to dozens of high-profile prosecutions.  

He has since filed similar requests for probes into an alleged ID cards racket as well as claims that LESA is colluding with car hire firms to defraud tourists. 

He has also asked for an investigation into the “unexplained wealth” of Economy Minister Silvio Schembri.