[VIDEO]:Dalli insists Zammit never requested meeting

In a video interview with New Europe, former European Commissioner John Dalli reveals how Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso asked him to resign and that Maltese businessman Silvio Zammit never actually came round to ask him to meet members of the European pro-tobacco lobby.

Dalli resigned on Tuesday after he was accused by the EU anti-fraud entity OLAF of being aware of attempts by the tobacco lobby to influence new EU regulations on the consumption of tobacco products. Dalli denied the accusation and said he resigned to clear his name.

In the interview John Dalli said Commission procedures were not followed as he did not have the OLAF report in hand to comment on it before the publication of the report conclusions. He once again refuted the circumstantial evidence used by OLAF and revealed that EC President Barroso had asked for Dalli's resignation. 

Dalli also revealed that the contacts between Maltese businessman Silvio Zammit, former PN deputy mayor of Sliema, and the Swedish tobacco company were made long after Dalli had indicated the policy direction for the new Tobacco Products Directive.

In the interview Dalli also read from an e-mail between Zammit and the Swedish Company and that Zammit never asked Dalli for any meeting with the tobacco lobby.

Zammit also resigned as PN councillor on Tuesday, citing "personal reasons".