File: Former PM Joseph Muscat inaugurating the wind farm in Montenegro(info@newsbook.com.mt)
Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Judiciary, and Anti-Corruption has warned Malta’s Attorney General that the Možura affair must be fully investigated, emphasising the connection between the corruption case and the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Momo Koprivica made the statement during an official visit to Malta, where he met with Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg to discuss cooperation between the two countries in fighting international corruption.
Speaking directly to Buttigieg, Koprivica delivered a firm message about the obligation to pursue the investigation.
“The obligation to shed light on both crime and corruption stems from the resolutions of the European Parliament, but also from the need to build a healthy society in which any attack on the life, freedom of speech and action of journalists is sanctioned. The Government of Montenegro will do everything within its jurisdiction, respecting the autonomy of the judiciary, to shed light on the Možura affair and the murder of the brave journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Because the murder of a journalist is not just a crime against one person, it is an attack on the entire society. Our response must be truth and justice, without compromise.”
Možura wind farm scandal
The Možura wind farm project has been under investigation for years. In 2021, Montenegrin MPs initiated proceedings to examine the deal involving Enemalta and Yorgen Fenech, the businessman charged with masterminding Caruana Galizia’s assassination.
The scandal centres on a 2015 deal struck by disgraced former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and former Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi. Investigations revealed that Enemalta paid €6.8 million more than the purchase price declared to Montenegrin authorities.
A joint investigation by Times of Malta and Reuters found that 17 Black, the secret Dubai company owned by Fenech, made a profit of €4.6 million from Enemalta’s purchase of the wind farm shares.
The deal involved a complex offshore structure: Enemalta paid €10.3 million for wind park shares just two weeks after Seychelles-registered Cifidex Ltd had acquired them for €2.9 million from Spanish company Fersa Energia Renovables and Montenegro-based Celebic Ltd.
Cifidex had borrowed €3 million from 17 Black to purchase the shares and, after selling to Enemalta, repaid the loan plus an additional €4.6 million “profit share” to Fenech’s company.
During his Malta visit, Koprivica also met with justice minister Jonathan Attard to exchange experiences on implementing European standards and judicial reforms. The Montenegrin official thanked Malta for its support in Montenegro’s European integration process.
Significantly, Koprivica also met with Matthew Caruana Galizia, son of the murdered journalist and himself an investigative reporter. The Deputy Prime Minister expressed Montenegro’s commitment to actively contribute to clarifying all circumstances surrounding the case.
Ongoing international investigation
The Možura wind farm project remains under investigation by Montenegro’s Special State Prosecutor’s Office, Europol, and police authorities in Malta and Spain. Maltese authorities have specifically requested documentation from Montenegro regarding several companies involved in the deal.
A 2021 audit report, kept hidden by Enemalta until 2023, revealed that the energy company knowingly paid an inflated price for the facility and failed to conduct proper due diligence into the beneficial ownership of the offshore companies involved.
Since her appointment in September 2020, Buttigieg has faced numerous calls for resignation from opposition parties and civil society organisations over various high-profile cases and decisions.
Critic, including the Nationalist Party, have accused her of lacking experience in criminal law and of making questionable decisions in several cases, including those related to the Caruana Galizia murder investigation and associated corruption probes.
However, unsurprisingly the Labour government has consistently defended Buttigieg and condemned what it calls “attacks” on her and the institutions.
