Controversial businessman Marco Gaffarena – who is at the heart of the Old Mint Street property – alleged today on Facebook that he had a deeper relationship with Beppe Fenech Adami than the PN Deputy Leader suggested yesterday.

Dr Fenech Adami said yesterday, when asked if he knew the Gaffarena family, that he could have met them socially but could not say how many times.

Writing on his wife’s Facebook page today, Marco Gaffarena said: “Lie some more Beppe! Was it only once that you met Mark Gaffarena? Have you forgotten how many times I gave you a lift home in Gharghun before you had even started contesting elections with the PN? Have you forgotten how many times we ate at the same table? Have you forgotten how much we drank up till a year ago at Villa Arrigo? Have you forgotten how much work was given to your wife when she was my notary? Did you forget the time you had a problem with someone and you called me to fix the situation for you? Will you only mention what suits you?”

In reaction, Dr Fenech Adami said that the relationship, if ever there was one, had certainly not led to any favouritism as the Gaffarena family petrol station in Qormi had remained illegal under a PN administration. The permits were only issued after Labour came to power in 2013.

The PN Deputy Leader said the drinks at Villa Arrigo were a birthday party for which both he and Mr Gaffarena had been invited. The reference to the time when they “ate at the same” table was a about a barbeque, attended by some 200 people, when both men had been invited. Dr Fenech Adami insisted that he and Marco Gaffarena had not gone to the event together.

He also said he had no idea what Mr Gaffarena was talking about when he claimed he had given him lifts home and about being asked to fix a problem with a third person.

Dr Fenech Adami confirmed that his wife had done some work as a notary for Mr Gaffarena in 2003 or 2004 but insisted that he had not even started contesting elections with the PN at the time.