Funding China's energy at Europe's expense: Corrupt deal between Malta and Montenegro

The Mozura energy project has been marred with scandals since its inception. The original Spanish investor Fersa Energias Renovable pulled the plug after 5 years of indolence being unable to carry out the project amidst mutual accusations of fraud and extortion further exacerbated by a complex web of go-betweens who reportedly acted as channels for bribes and commissions.

The Maltese state owned company Enemalta took over the concession. However, Enemalta conducted the takeover through a murky offshore company which received funds from another hidden company linked to the main suspect for the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The ownership structure in the project changed several times along with exorbitant amounts of money payed to various people close to the ruling cliques in Malta and Montenegro. What once was heralded as an EU investment ultimately became Chinese-owned project on terms very unfavourable to Montenegrin tax payers who are forced to buy the wind electricity three times the market price. 

Photo image: The web of companies involved in the Mozura wind farm deal

© DAN - Jovo Martinovic