Prime Minister Robert Abela was quick to come to the defence of his predecessor last Monday, soon after the news broke that charges had been filed against Joseph Muscat, some of his closest aides and others in connection with the Vitals magisterial inquiry.

In late April, the inquiry had been concluded and passed on to the Attorney General. Last Monday, it became known that charges had been filed, leading to yet another chapter in this saga which started off with the handing over of three public hospitals to be run by the private sector, only for the deal to be rescinded by a court which described it as having been fraudulent.

The magisterial inquiry, for more than four years, investigated the agreement which had been reached by the government, then led by Muscat with Konrad Mizzi as Health Minister, with Vitals Global Health Care, a concession that was later passed on to Steward Health Care before it was annulled by the courts in February 2023. In the meantime, millions of euros had been passed on from public money by the Labour government for the running of the hospitals.

Now that charges have been filed against Muscat & Co, it becomes even clearer as to why the former Prime Minister, who was named by an international group of journalists as “man of the year” for corruption in 2019, had been desperately trying to get the investigating magistrate off the case. He knew what was coming, and tried to prevent it from happening.

When Abela turned up before the media last Monday, he attempted to appear cool and in control, but it was evident that he was acting more like a defence lawyer to Muscat than a Prime Minister of the whole country. His words constantly betrayed his defence of his predecessor, who has landed him (Abela) in trouble again on a political level. Muscat is again an albatross around Abela’s neck.

Once again, Abela tried to shift the attention on the timing of the conclusion of the inquiry, rather than the content.

We tell you, again, Mr Prime Minister, that what is in the inquiry – which Abela claims he has not seen – is more important than when it was concluded. And the fact that action is being taken against people who were investigated by the inquiry is ample proof that there are grounds for, at least, prosecution.

For Abela to then accuse journalists who were asking questions as being part of what he calls the establishment indicates even further how much he and his government are afraid to face the real media. Abela appeared stiff, angry and cornered when he was fielding real questions by journalists on Monday afternoon at Castille, but he was transformed into being relaxed, comfortable and all-smiles a few hours later in Mellieha when he was being thrown soft balls by a pro-Labour presenter.

Abela often forgets that he should act as Prime Minister of the whole country. He also forgets that the country’s citizens are not only those who applaud him in the safe haven of a Labour activity, but there are many others who weigh his words carefully and do not simply repeat them like a parrot.