The signatures on the declarations of trust linking Michelle Muscat to the Panama-based company Egrant were not the only forgeries identified in a magistrate's inquiry, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Sunday.

Speaking in an interview on ONE Radio on Sunday, Muscat said that that the principal conclusion of the inquiry was not, as some people were saying, that there was no proof against him or his family; but that somebody had gone to great lengths to falsify documents to damage him, his family and the whole country.

Furthermore, he said that the declarations of trust that were found to have forged signatures were not the only forged items that the inquiry found, hinting that there is more evidence to be found within the pages of the as of yet unpublished inquiry.  He however neglected to give further details as to what the other forged documents found were.

Speaking about the reaction by certain members within the Opposition, Muscat said that he had expected such reactions questioning the enquiry and that they had come now because "maybe the fright has passed".  On these members, who were not named, Muscat said that he does not believe that they are representing the Nationalist Party, but that rather they are representing themselves and their own interests. 

'We are always the underdogs'

Speaking about recent surveys which showed the Labour Party having a lead of almost 100,000 votes, Muscat said that this was an anomalous situation which was only a snapshot of the day, and which was down to the mess the Simon Busuttil had put the Nationalist Party into.

Muscat said that he approached every election like a football game, where the score always starts from nil-nil.  He pointed out that the upcoming MEP elections would be something of a mid-term election for the government, and said that they are always difficult elections.  'We are always the underdogs', Muscat said.

Parking payment for Mater Dei Hospital workers issue 'solved', Barts Medical School to 'positively transform Gozo'

The issue surrounding the need for workers at Mater Dei Hospital to pay for parking has now been solved, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Sunday.

The issue had arisen after a change in the operator of the parking premises of the hospital, who found that nowhere in the working contract was there a clause to allow free parking for workers, and that this was done by the previous contractor but that it was not reported. 

Following discussions which were led by Minister for Health Chris Fearne, Muscat said that the government decided that the proposed 75 cent fee was not something worth fighting for to secure as an income, and therefore agreed to give workers the option to make use of a free parking scheme.  Those employees meanwhile who choose not to use the free parking, will be given an increase of €18 in their salary so to give an incentive to use other means of transport, Muscat said.

Muscat also touched upon the health industry by discussing the Barts Medical School in Gozo, saying that a new anatomy centre situated near the Gozo General Hospital would be opening in September.  Muscat said that Barts Medical School will be the project that will positively transform Gozo as it will lead to more students and their families residing on the island, and also to a Gozo General Hospital that will be on par with Mater Dei Hospital. 

'Bullying can never be justified'

Following the recent admission by the wife of the Prime Minister Michelle Muscat in an interview and a similar admission by the wife of the leader of the Opposition Adrian Delia, Nickie Vella de Fremaux, that their children had been bullied or excluded because of their parents' ties to politics, the issue of bullying has once again come onto the country's agenda.

Speaking about this, Muscat said that it was only an extremely small minority of people who could commit such things.  He said that the Maltese are a decent people at heart and that they should judge this matter themselves.

He added though that bullying can never be justified, and that this was an issue that transcended over party politics.