Prime Minister Joseph Muscat assured the Opposition that nobody from government will cover up for anybody, referring to the investigations which were ordered by the government into the controversial transfer of a property in Mint Street, Valletta. He also defended the fact that an additional investigation was kickstarted along the NAO's, referring to the IAID investigation.

Parliamentary secretary for planning Michael Falzon today officially requested an investigation on the transfer of property in Old Mint Street, Valletta, to third parties.

The transfer has been the subject of controversy after it was revealed that the government had bought half the ownership of the property in question for €1.65 million from Mark Gaffarena.

The investigation was widened after an IAID investigation was also ordered.

Dr Muscat was replying to questions made by four Opposition MPs – namely Jason Azzopardi, Ryan Callus, Francis Zammit Dimech and George Pullicino - whether Castille was carrying an internal investigation, since anything to do with the Lands Department falls under the remit of the OPM. He was also asked whether anyone from his office was directly involved in this scandal.

Dr Muscat said that nobody from his office was implicated but vowed that nobody from government will cover up for anyone.

Dr Muscat said that by ordering an IAID inquiry over and above the National Audit Office investigation, the government was being transparent. He said that he could not understand why the Opposition was also finding fault in this. Dr Muscat also said that the police have every facility to carry out their own investigation, and said that no one was preventing them from doing so.

The Opposition asked the government why Mr Falzon first said that there wasn’t the need for an investigation but now changed tack and ordered an investigation.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said that from the very beginning, Mr Falzon said that he haD no problem with an investigation. “It is positive that the government ordered an IAID inquiry over and above the Auditor General’s investigation,” Dr Bonnici said, but did not answer directly the question made by the Opposition.