Malta pipeline funds shine in EU, with exclusion warning for crime-related entities
European ministers have agreed to allow Malta to apply for crucial European funds that subsidize at least half of the € 400 million investment in the gas pipeline to Sicily.
But they also said that entities linked to fraud, corruption or behavior related to criminal organizations will be excluded from such funding, a possible reference to the presence of Electrogas as the owner of the Malta gas plant.
Electrogas includes Thomas magnate Yorgen Fenech, the alleged mastermind in the assassination of Caruana Galizia, as a shareholder.
The Caruana Galizia family has called on the EU to reject such funding for a pipeline, which would lead to a price of gas emissions from the Maltese government to Electrogas, which acquires LNG; as well as operating the gas-converting gas plant and then selling it to the state-owned utility Enemalta.
After funding was first refused when the European Commission advanced the objectives of the Green New Deal to phase out fossil fuels, Malta has obtained a derogation which has now resulted in a decision by Council ministers to allow funding. of interconnection.
Both MEPs and the Council yesterday agreed that in the case of Cyprus and Malta, which are not yet interconnected with the trans-European gas network, one interconnection will be allowed for each state under development or planning, which has been granted. -‘Project of Commons. Interest ”(PCI) and is needed to ensure a permanent interconnection with the trans-European gas network.
They also added an “explicit reference” to Article 136 of the EU financial regulation, which lists situations where a person or entity should be excluded from being selected to receive EU funding, such as fraud, corruption or behavior related to organizations. criminal.
The Council also decided on Tuesday to end support for new natural gas and oil projects and to introduce mandatory sustainability criteria for all projects. This is part of a move to allow, during a transitional period until 31 December 2029, dedicated hydrogen assets converted from natural gas to be used for the transport or storage of a predefined mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. biomethane.
The revised TEN-E Regulation updates the categories of infrastructure eligible for funding, with a focus on decarbonisation, offshore electricity grids, hydrogen infrastructure and smart grids.
PCIs are eligible for funding from the Connecting Europe Facility for 2021-2027.