Opposition leader Adrian Delia has denied claims by his estranged wife Nickie Vella de Fremeaux that he had missed two successive mortgage payments for the family home.

In a statement, the PN decried the allegation as a “vicious and personal attack” and suggested it was timed to coincide with a confidence vote in his leadership that will be held on Saturday at the PN General Council.

Earlier today, Vella de Fremeaux filed a judicial protest against Delia, claiming her estranged husband had missed two successive mortgage payments amounting to around €7,500.

Vella de Fremeaux said Delia had informed her that the loans had been regularised, but that the bank later informed her that no payments had been made.

However, when Vella de Fremeaux tried to verify this statement with HSBC yesterday, four days after the deadline, the bank informed her that no such payments had been made.

The PN said the issue arose because Delia hadn’t received the payment notices on time. It said the Opposition leader paid the full €7,500 on 17th July, three days before the deadline HSBC had imposed.

The Opposition leader confirmed that he also cleared a second payment of €800 that was due to Bank of Valletta.

“This is another case in a series of personal attacks against the PN leader, a few hours before an extraordinary General Council vote, by a blogger who has been trying to attack Adrian Delia’s credibility ever since he was democratically elected as leader,” the PN said.

This was a reference to Manuel Delia, who was first to report on Vella de Fremeaux’s judicial protest.

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