LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese former prime minister Joseph Muscat declared that he is ready to answer any question related to the criminal inquiry over the privatization of three public hospitals.
In a Facebook post, Muscat revealed that he has written to Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa asking to call him for questioning. “I have nothing to hide, and have no qualms with being transparent… I wrote to the police commissioner and told him to call me in as soon as possible and as soon as he has the conclusions of the Attorney General on the hospitals’ inquiry, answer any question he may have and show the facts,” he said. Muscat added, “this is a political vendetta against me and my family. I will remain determined that the truth will come out,” he added.
It was revealed last Tuesday that a magisterial inquiry into Muscat and other ministers’ role in the Vitals deal to privatise three state hospitals had been concluded.
Meanwhile, along with former Minister Konrad Mizzi and former Chief of Staff at the Office of the PM, Keith Schembri, who are expected to be arraigned on money laundering charges, the Maltese media is reporting that Deputy prime minister Chris Fearne and former finance minister Edward Scicluna, today occupying the post of Governer at the Central Bank of Malta are among others who are likely to face charges related to the Vitals hospital deal following the conclusion of the inquiry by senior magistrate Gabriella Vella. According to the reports, Fearne and Scicluna would be charged of complicity in fraud and money laundering, but not with money laundering directly.
Yesterday Fearne said that he was not worried since he had no doubt that the courts could only find him innocent of any wrongdoing.
Maltese Prime minister Robert Abela, meanwhile, said that even criminal charges against a cabinet minister would not be sufficient for resignation. Abela continued to be critical of magistratès conduct, insisting that magistrates should not make “political judgments”.
– Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).
