The fallout from the Jean Paul Sofia inquiry saw the resignation of four key figures within entities named in the inquiry, together with the sacking of a fifth person.

But, so far, political figures have brushed off calls for their resignation, often dodging questions about whether they would shoulder responsibility while defending their track records.

Fingers have been pointed at several political figures, from Economy Minister Silvio Schembri to former planning minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, while others, such as Schembri’s predecessor Chris Cardona have gone under the radar.

On Monday, PN announced that it would move a parliamentary motion of no confidence in ministers Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Miriam Dalli and Silvio Schembri for their role in the failures highlighted by the inquiry board.

The convoluted timeframe of the incident, with the land in Corradino being transferred from the government to developers All Plus Ltd in 2019 before the building collapse in December 2022, makes it tricky to pinpoint who was responsible for what entity at each point in time.

We dig through the maze of names, dates and public entities to figure out who was responsible for what and when.

Chris Cardona

Chris Cardona was appointed economy minister upon Labour’s election in 2013 and held on to the portfolio after the 2017 election, until he resigned in late 2019 and was eventually replaced by Silvio Schembri early the following year.

Malta Enterprise formed part of Cardona’s portfolio when it approved the Corradino project in May 2019.

Former economy minister Chris Cardona

At the time, Malta Enterprise was led by CEO Mario Galea, who had taken up the role in 2016, before departing in the summer of 2019. He was succeeded by Kurt Farrugia, who took up the role in August that year.

Galea now chairs the National Foreign Direct Investment Screening Office (NFDIS).

Cardona was also responsible for INDIS until he left office in late 2019, a few months before the entity signed off the Corradino land to the developers.

Silvio Schembri

Schembri entered cabinet after the 2017 election, when then prime minister Joseph Muscat appointed him parliamentary secretary for financial services, digital economy and innovation.

His portfolio at the time did not include any of the entities singled out for blame by the inquiry report, namely Malta Enterprise, INDIS or OHSA.

Robert Abela appointed Schembri as his economy minister in January 2020, essentially putting him in charge of INDIS, then known as Malta Industrial Parks. The entity took on its new name after a rebranding exercise later in the same year.

Schembri dodged questions about his responsibility in the incident, arguing that the land allocation took place 'a year before I was made minister'

In February 2020, a month after Schembri took over political responsibility for INDIS, the entity signed over the Corradino site to the developers.

However, Malta Enterprise, which approved the project’s proposal, only became part of his portfolio recently, after last month’s reshuffle.

On Thursday, Schembri dodged questions about his responsibility in the incident, arguing that the land allocation took place “a year before I was made minister”.

Miriam Dalli

Miriam Dalli left her MEP post to take up the role of minister for energy, enterprise and sustainable development in November 2020.

Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli

Her portfolio included Malta Enterprise but, by then, the entity had already approved the transfer of land in Corradino almost a year-and-a-half earlier, in May 2019.

She was kept in charge of the entity until last month, when it was moved to Schembri’s portfolio.

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi

The prime minister appointed Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi to his first cabinet in January 2020, naming him parliamentary secretary for EU funds, before promoting him to planning minister after the March 2022 election.

Zrinzo Azzopardi’s portfolio included OHSA, one of the entities singled out by the inquiry, which described it as “reactive”.

Planning Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi

He was responsible for the entity at the time of the building collapse which killed Jean Paul Sofia in December 2022.

His portfolio changed slightly during last month’s reshuffle, when he was named lands minister.

Speaking in parliament on Friday, Zrinzo Azzopardi defended his track record as planning minister, pointing to reforms such as the licensing of contractors which, he said, the inquiry praised.

“That legislation took a lot and work on it began in my first week in the role,” he said.