Speaking in front of a large bright red banner that read “korużżjoni (corruption), Aquilina blasted the fact that those involved in the fraudulent hospital deal have not been prosecuted.

“It is unacceptable that no one has been forced to take neither political nor criminal responsibility for this abuse,” he said.

“The four contracts were not negotiated by ghosts but were signed away by the government, carelessly spending money that belongs to the people.

“And to the politicians involved we say: don’t tell us you weren’t complicit because we don’t believe you.”

Aquilina noted that while evidence pointed to the roles played by former ministers Konrad Mizzi, Chris Cardona, Edward Scicluna and former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, Joseph Muscat was the “architect of the corrupt deal.”.

“It is inconceivable that this could have been done without Muscat’s knowledge. No matter how many excuses and threats he comes up with we know that he is the architect of this corrupt deal,” he added.

“No one believes that Cardona, Scicluna, Mizzi, and Schembri acted behind his back. Joseph Muscat is the chief corrupt individual.”

This protest comes after former PN head Adrian Delia won a landmark case against the government over the Vitals-Steward hospitals deal.

An annulment of the deal was ordered by Judge Francesco Depasquale, which included the return of the three hospitals to the government over their failure to complete milestones such as the plans for design, the Barts campus, beds at Karin Grech, the renovation of the Gozo hospital, and St Luke’s beds for hospital tourism.

Delia’s case, filed five years ago, argued in favour of scrapping of the concession that placed Vitals Global Healthcare, and later Steward Healthcare, in charge of the St Luke’s, Karin Grech and Gozo hospitals.

Joseph Muscat has spoken out after the ordeal outside his office, accusing Republikka’s Aquilina of acting like “prosecutor, judge and jury”, which opposes rule of law which “he speaks so much about”.

“As I have always said, I welcome every scrutiny possible because it will only confirm that I have always acted in the country’s best interests,” Muscat added.

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