Azopardi accuses Picardo of using legal threats to buy political time

Keith Azopardi says if the Chief Minister launches a legal challenge against Sir Peter Openshaw's findings, it will be for tactical reasons to try to keep the circling wolves of issues at bay. 

He restates his view that this is a private challenge that should not be paid for by the taxpayer.

The Opposition Leader says challenging the Inquiry report is nothing to do the truth but it's about the Chief Minister's own political survival and buying himself time to leave the political stage.

He called it a transparent tactic that should not be played with the taxpayers' monies.

First the Principal Auditor, now the Inquiry Chairman but Keith Azopardi says reviews against Inquiry findings are notoriously rare.

He says Fabian Picardo will not accept the truth unless he writes it himself.

The GSD Leader highlights, what he calls, the scandalous usurping of the Auditor's role, and accuses Mr Picardo of now embarking on an incessant campaign to ignore the findings of the Inquiry report, peddling his own version.

He quotes the Chairman, who said in his report: "That Mr Picardo still seeks to defend his actions, that he thinks that he was within his rights, is not mitigation, indeed it makes it much worse.

Mr Azopardi points out that as yet, Mr Picardo has not launched a legal challege so everyone is entitled to consider the findings absolutely final.