Updated 8pm with Agius Saliba's reactionAllegations of abusive food monopolies in Malta should be investigated by Maltese authorities, not the European Commission, MEP Alex Agius Saliba has been told by the Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager.
Last year, Agius Saliba had asked the European Commission to investigate Maltese food importers for antitrust violations, claiming that a handful of importers that dominate the market had led to a de facto monopoly. His request later received cross-party support by a European Parliament committee.
But in a written reply sent last February and revealed during an MEP debate with Agius Saliba organised by the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, Vestager told him that the Malta Competitor and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) “is well placed to deal with the practices at stake”.
In practice, Vestager argued, the EC deals with cases where violations could “have effects on competition in more than three Member States”, rather than in situations that can be tackled internally within a single country.
“The Commission therefore invites the Honourable Member to contact the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority,” Vestager wrote.
Agius Saliba ‘covering up for government failures’
Alex Agius Saliba and Peter Agius have repeatedly crossed swords over the issue, with Agius insisting that the issue was a matter for national authorities, not the EC.
During a press conference held on Monday afternoon, a beaming Agius said that Agius Saliba’s argument had “blown up in his face”, holding a copy of Vestager’s reply aloft.
“Instead of strengthening Maltese institutions and protecting families from the rising cost of living, Agius Saliba has been trying to protect the government by covering up for them.”
Agius argued that MEPs should help honest businesses continue to contribute to the economy, instead of unjustly accusing them of abusive practices in European corridors.
Meanwhile. PN economy shadow minister Jerome Caruana Cilia accused the government of “abdicating its responsibility to shield families and vulnerable people from the rising cost of living” by failing to investigate abuses of its own steam.
“It is not fair for all businesses to be put in the same basket and have their reputations tarnished. The government has failed to investigate and take action over alleged abuses and ensure a level playing field across all businesses,” he said.
Agius Saliba 'calls out PN for lying'
Late on Monday Agius Saliba "called out the PN for lying" about the outcome of his request to the Commission to investigate so-called de-facto monopolies.
The PL said in a statement that Vestager's letter had been superseded by a motion by Agius Saliba that was approved by the European Parliament. The motion, PL said, called on the Commission to investigate the matter.
"In fact, the European Commission invited Agius Saliba to discuss this matter in a dedicated meeting just days after this letter was published.
"The meeting was held on March 7 and confirmed that the investigation is ongoing," the PL said, adding that MEP hopeful Agius "preferred to engage in mudslinging to tarnish his name rather than pursuing a good outcome for Maltese consumers".
“I have repeatedly asked all parties, irrespective of their political opinion, to join me in this struggle. It is by no means easy to make the European Commission use tools and expertise at its disposal to investigate intricate de-facto monopolies that are leading to artificially high food prices for Maltese consumers," Agius Saliba said.
"Unfortunately, PN activists seem more interested in proving me wrong, perhaps to gain some political mileage, or worse because of their vested interests.”