Prime Minister Robert Abela has, for the first time, pledged that the government will demand Steward refund public funds it received for services it never ended up carrying out.

“I must be factual and I cannot take the PN’s attitude of populism and partisanship. It would be easy but I don’t want to do that,” Abela said on ONE TV today.

“Over the past years, the government paid Steward money and Steward provided a range of medical services at Karin Grech and the Gozo General Hospital.”

“However, in those cases where the government paid Steward money and they didn’t honour their obligations, the government will be very strong and ask Steward to refund the money back.”

“We will safeguard the national interest.”

Abela defended his action vis-a-vis Steward since becoming Prime Minister in 2020, arguing that he turned down their requests to amend the original concession.

“That was a definite response we took after exploring all possible scenarios, and which was pushed forward by the national interest,”

With the appeal period for Adrian Delia’s landmark court victory set to expire next week, Abela reiterated his pledge that should Steward decide to challenge the ruling, the government will ask the courts to hear the case urgently.