Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said that Minister Konrad Mizzi is not in any way involved with projects related to Air Malta.

Asked if Konrad Mizzi, who has been named as No-Portfolio Minister after being relieved of his duties as Energy and Health Minister in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, is somehow involved in the whole Air Malta project, the minister simply said ‘no’.

Last week, Edward Zammit Lewis announced that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with Air Malta which will open up negotiations leading to the sale of 49% of the national carrier’s stake to Alitalia.

The announcement was made during a press conference following a meeting held with unions to announce the government's decision. The government's intention is to keep the majority stake in the national airline, and great attention will be given to the future of the workers, he said.

After months of negotiations with various airlines, the government has now decided to take the discussions to the next level with Alitalia, the minister said. The financial value of the transaction is still to be determined.

A technical team will finalise details by July, and the intention is to complete the deal as quickly as possible to start a new chapter for the national carrier.

The minister said the agreement is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders. Air Malta customers will be able to benefit from Alitalia's partnerships and this will improve the country's connectivity. This is also beneficial to the tourism industry as more people from around the world will have a better connection with Malta.