Independent MP Konrad Mizzi is likely not be able to attend any sittings of the Public Accounts Committee this year, as he continues to recover from “a serious illness”, Times of Malta reports today.

Mizzi missed last week’s sitting as he was taken to hospital, with his lawyers informing the committee that they will be informing it about Mizzi’s availability “based on guidance from medical specialists”.

Three sittings remain before Parliament’s Christmas recess, and it is probable that Mizzi would not be able to attend any of them. The first one is scheduled for tomorrow.

It is understood that the PAC will be hearing the testimony of Paul Apap Bologna, a shareholder in the Electrogas power station, which is the subject of the committee’s investigation. Apap Bologna was summoned last week.

Mizzi was Energy Minister at the time of the Electrogas deal, which was followed by allegations of corruption and maladministration. The Auditor General, in 2018, had concluded an investigation which found that the Electrogas bid to secure the contract had failed to comply with minimum requirements in multiple instances.

Mizzi now serves as an independent MP after he was kicked out of the PL parliamentary group in June last year.

He had initially refused to attend PAC meetings four times, claiming that his summons was simply a “partisan attack”. He had later accepted but the first two sittings he attended before his illness turned into a lengthy presentation from him about the energy sector. He was still to conclude the presentation.