PN Leader Bernard Grech said that Robert Abela's first meeting he held when he became Prime Minister in January 2020 was with Steward Health Care, in the presence of the former Prime Minister who is now being criminally charged over the case Joseph Muscat.
Grech was speaking in a political rally in Kirkop, where he reminded the public that Abela was Muscat's legal consultant when the latter was Prime Minister, and said that it is no wonder that there is great tension in the PL internally.
He said that Abela had said that he had nothing to do with the hospitals' deal and that he was not in Cabinet at the time, however, he was legal consultant to Muscat.
Grech said that a Court annulled the "fraudulent" contract between government and Steward last year, finding high government officials responsible for collusion and complicity in the deal.
"All those accused of fraud, money laundering, and misappropriation among others have let €400 million and more be stolen from the Maltese public," Grech said, adding that some individuals who will be criminally charged over the Vitals case have made excuses not to resign.
Among them is Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, he said, who Grech said claimed to not have received the charges, the Governor of the Central Bank of Malta Edward Scicluna, as well as Permanent Secretary Ronald Mizzi.
Grech said that in the judicial protest and cases the PN has filed to try to return the €400 million back to the Maltese public, Abela has "done everything to delay, to save himself and his friends."
Grech said that all the accused have been stained with defrauding the Maltese public of their money, and despite the PN's judicial protests not to continue giving money to Steward, government had continued to do so.
He reiterated the PN's call for all high public officials who are criminally charged to resign.
Grech said that next Monday's protest in front of the Parliament building in Valletta will be against criminals, and encouraged the Maltese public to attend for themselves and their country.