WATCH: There’s Proof Joseph Muscat And I Paid For Holiday At Yorgen Fenech’s Hotel, Justice Minister Insists Without Providing Proof
Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis insisted there exists proof that he and Joseph Muscat paid for his stay at a French hotel owned by Yorgen Fenech’s business group, but he refused to specify further or even pledge to publish this proof.
“I assure you that there’s proof that we paid,” a cagey Zammit Lewis told the press this afternoon. “I don’t have receipts from six years ago but I assure you that I always acted ethically and properly, not only in this holiday but in everything I do as a minster.”
Last month, when testifying at the public inquiry looking into Caruana Galizia’s murder, Zammit Lewis said he has receipts for all events he organised at Fenech’s hotels.
Lovin Malta reported last week that Zammit Lewis’ and Muscat’s holiday was partially funded by Fenech, the main suspect in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Zammit Lewis said the trip took place in August 2014, back when he was Tourism Minister, and said answers can be found in his original response to Lovin Malta.
However, this response, which is being reproduced in full below, doesn’t mention whether he or Fenech paid for the hotel.
Last week, the Tumas Group said it’s investigating who had footed the bill for Muscat’s and Zammit Lewis’ holiday at the Évian-Les-Bains hotel
This is Zammit Lewis’ original response
“With reference to your query about a personal holiday which occurred around six years ago, it is clear that the assumptions being made are misleading and incorrect.
The Facts are the following:
– Some six years back, together with my family and with the Muscat family, I was on a holiday break in France. We, the families, travelled back and forth to Malta on scheduled commerical flights.
– Half-way through the holiday, Dr Muscat had to attend to a summit of the European Leaders which had been called after personal arrangements were made and scheduled. I was invited by the Former Prime Minister to accompany him as a member of the Executive. Following this, the Former Prime Minister and I caught flights to and from destination, booked as per standard procedure for Heads of Government and any accompanying persons, as far as I know, these were refunded by the EU as per standard practice. Therefore, no expenses related to our personal travel were borne by taxpayers or by any private individual or company.
Following the summit, both the Former Prime Minister and I met with our families to travel back to Malta on the Commercial flights.
Unlike others, whose cases have been revealed in the past days, I did not phone anyone from the Fenech family to ask for any favours nor did I ask for suggestions about which hotel to stay in and never gave any gifts to the Fenech family in compensation for any freebies.”
What do you make of Edward Zammit Lewis’ response?
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