Pictured above: Left, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, right, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has opened up about how he effectively “blocked” a proposal to discuss Egrant in the European Parliament right before the 2017 snap election.

A discussion on Joseph Muscat, his wife Michelle Muscat, and their links to the secret Panama company was set to be held on the eve of the general election in Malta, which could have impacted the result of that election, which turned out to be a Labour landslide.

However, the discussion never took place because Alfred Sant, who is now an MEP, put an end to it, as he said in comments on the TVM show XTRA.

“With regards to Malta and the Labour Party, my best input occurred two years ago when Egrant allegations were prevalent during Malta’s election campaign and the Egrant issue was very much alive and hot. I took certain initiatives to ensure that discussion in the plenary would be postponed till after the general elections. And that is what actually happened,” he said according to the Times of Malta.

Indeed, he implied that his role as MEP was specifically to carry out these types of manoeuvres

“Much of my political work in Malta and at the European Parliament was meant to provide services underground. This was deliberate,” he said.

Dr Sant said he had full confidence in Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, saying he never doubted his words.

“I didn’t feel the need to contact the Prime Minister on the Egrant allegations. I recognised immediately he wasn’t involved. I have full confidence in him, I have full confidence in his integrity. He may have committed mistakes. But I have never had any doubts about his integrity,” he said.

A magisterial inquiry concluded that there was no evidence linking Michelle Muscat to Egrant, though the inquiry has yet to be made fully public.

Alfred Sant is contesting the upcoming May MEP elections on the PL ticket.

What do you think of Dr Sant’s actions? Let us know in the comments below

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]