Watch: Robert Abela Doesn’t Deny Access To Inquiry And Raises Another Question
Prime Minister Robert Abela didn’t deny that he has been given access to a copy of the Vitals magisterial inquiry.
Questioned by Lovin Malta this evening, Abela said the real question was whether anyone associated with the Nationalist Party had any inside information about the workings of the inquiry while it was still ongoing.
“I think the real question thats needs to be answered is whether certain people had access to the content of the inquiry before it was concluded,” he said.
“When I announced last January that Chris Fearne was going to be Malta’s nominee for the post of European Commissioner, was the criticism by main PN exponents and a PN MP so harsh because someone had known something before the inquiry was concluded?”
Asked again whether he has seen a copy of the inquiry, Abela deflected the question and pointed to the timing of its conclusion.
“What I saw was a timeline of a magisterial inquiry that undoubtedly closed when it did to influence the electoral timeline and the result of 8th June,” he said.
“How could it be otherwise when a magisterial inquiry that should have taken 60 days lasted four and a half years and closed right on the date that candidate nominations opened? I think everyone can draw their own conclusions and the people will have to pass judgement on 8th June.”
The Prime Minister also dismissed Opposition Leader Bernard Grech’s claim that he is using the information in the magisterial inquiry “to carry out political manoeuvres to make sure he is saved and other people sink”.
“With all due respect, but I think that Bernard Grech’s comments show that he doesn’t have what it takes to lead a party,” he said. “His comments are so puerile. I have no need to save my skin; everyone knows how I acted over the past four and a half years, and the people must pass this judgement on 8th June. They have a clear choice between Bernard Grech and Robert Abela.”
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