Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today that his Chief of Staff Keith Schembri offered his resignation when reports in the media emerged about his ill-health.

Replying to questions by The Malta Independent, Dr Muscat said that Schembri had told him he wanted to leave at the time he was facing health issues.

This is a different reason to that given by Keith Schembri in his email. Schembri does not mention his illness, but says that he offered to resign because he did not want to be a distraction from the work being carried out by the government.

Addressing a press conference at MCAST campus in Paola, Dr Muscat was asked about a round robin email which Mr Schembri sent on Monday saying that he had presented his resignation more than once. He said that Muscat always turned down the resignation.

When asked to explain why he felt the need to keep him on board, Dr Muscat brushed off any claims that he was kept on the team because of their close friendship. “When someone needs support, you don’t throw him away.”

Referring to what he is describing “selective leaks” from the FIAU reports, Dr Muscat accused The Malta Independent of twisting the facts and handpicking parts of the reports.

The Malta Independent has published damning FIAU reports proving there were kickbacks to Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri from the LNG tanker project, and kickbacks to Mizzi from the privatisation of Enemalta.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat also clarified that the €130 million yearly budget for the manifesto does not include the €700 million for road works.

He said that the PN leader is saying that he will not go on with the works on Vitals Group Healthcare, but warned that this would not be ideal. "Believe me, there were contracts which needed to be thorn from the previous administration. I didn't do it because for me, Malta comes first for me not partisan politics."