Speaking on Xarabank tonight, former Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon launched a bitter attack on the National Audit Office report on the Gaffarena case terming it a case of politically motivated vindictiveness.

He named a top official within NAO, Keith Mercieca, as the person at the back of this vindictiveness adding this happened after he (Dr Falzon) reacted and called in Mr Mercieca's superiors after he felt that Mr Mercieca was overdoing it in his investigation about another matter.

Dr Falzon also claimed that the person who estimated the value of the Old Mint Street property has never been named. Quoting from Simon Mercieca's blog on this website, Dr Falzon said this Perit is Dr Joseph Spiteri who also works for NAO, a conflict of interest he did not disclose.

He reported Dr Spiteri to the university rector because Dr Spiteri is a lecturer, to the Kamra tal-Periti and its Ethics Committee.Dr Falzon denied he took any money for this deal.

While NAO in its report on the Cafe Premier case said politicians must not intervene, now it says he should have intervened.

He always insisted on the correct procedures being followed.

NAO had five cases to investigate - the Gaffarena case, the Fekruna case, the Lowenbrau case, the HSBC in Valletta case, and the public land in St Julian's case but it only focused on the Gaffarena case while in some cases it has not even begun.

Asked if he met Gaffarena, Dr Falzon admitted meeting him, but said he also met others and he mentioned Zaren Vassallo and was about to mention others.

As for Dr Spiteri, he was appointed by Jason Azzopardi without a call for applications.

He defended his past activity: he solved more cases relating to church property than had been solved in 23 years. He also claimed in rather mysterious words that someone else chose a house, got it expropriated and then bought it.

He ended the one-on-one interview by appealing to the media to do its work correctly, The story about his early retirement had nothing to do with the case. He announced he will be suing for libel.

The interview was followed by a tumultuous debate between a panel composed of PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami, Norman Vella, Minister Owen Bonnici, Robert Musumeci and Alternattiva's Arnold Cassola.

Dr Fenech Adami was asked to defend his leader's claim that Malta is run by the Mafia. He replied all this case is redolent of the Mafia.

Minister Bonnici kept asking Dr Fenech Adami is he was calling him corrupt.

Arnold Cassola said the case happened because Labour appointed persons in a position of trust who entered the Lands Department and acted as if they owned the place.

Dr Fenech Adami claimed that Gaffarena was given €4.3 million almost as much as is collected on the Strina.