Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business Chris Cardona has told The Malta Independent on Sunday that he has paid all the rent due on the one-bedroom apartment at Portomaso he leased from businessman Silvan Fenech, and that he has moved out.

A storm had erupted in Parliament last July following allegations that the minister had been living rent-free in an apartment in the luxury residential complex owned by Mr Fenech, whose family is involved in the Delimara power station Electrogas consortium. 

The allegations were first raised by Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia on her blog, and matters quickly came to a head in Parliament, with Deputy Opposition Leader Beppe Fenech Adami demanding immediate answers.

In reply, later that night, Dr Cardona had tabled a 10-month rental contract signed on 1 December 2014. The rent was €1,400 a month. Strangely, the contract had stipulated that the rental fees were to be settled not on a monthly basis, but, rather, five days before the 10-month lease expired – a total of €14,000.

Questioned by this newsroom this week, Dr Cardona confirmed that he has moved out of the Portomaso flat, and that the lease has been paid in full. 

Asked to provide proof of payment, Dr Cardona sent this newsroom the image of a scanned cheque issued on 27 August 2015, more than a month early, made out to Silvan Fenech to the amount of €14,400, which included the rental payment and an amount for pending utility bills. The rental contract had showed that electricity, water, cable TV, gas and phone bills would be settled by Dr Cardona.

The image also shows that the cheque was cashed on 3 September 2015, which was also confirmed by the ministry.

Asked by this newsroom whether he would be renewing the contract, the minister said he would not.

Dr Fenech Adami had also raised serious allegations of a cosy relationship between a government minister and Mr Fenech, whose family is one of the main shareholders in the Electrogas consortium, which has been contracted to build and operate the new Delimara power station. This newspaper has confirmed that while family members are involved through the Tumas Group, Mr Fenech is not involved in the Tumas Group family business.