Embattled Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi insisted Monday morning he has “nothing to do” with 17 Black, adding that “he stands tall” in the unfolding situation.

Mizzi was quizzed by journalists as he made his way to a PL Parliamentary Group meeting, held at the Office of the Prime Minister.

“What this country needs right now is that justice prevails. That’s all we care about. This government worked really hard so that justice prevails,” he told members of the press. 

“The investigation was given all the necessary tools. The PM was willing to grant a pardon. We brought in the FBI, Europol.”

“Go away. Of course not!” he replied, when asked by a journalist whether he had planned to receive kickbacks from a murder suspect.

Told by this newspaper that there were cabinet colleagues who were telling him to go, Mizzi said: “I will be clear. When I made a mistake in the past I admitted it and carried the responsibility. I lost my deputy leadership and my portfolio. The people re-elected me and gave me their support. This time I have nothing to do with this case.”

Mizzi said he had received many messages of support and said he would not react publicly to comments by some of his PL colleagues. “I will talk to them face to face,” he said.

“We will keep working and delivering as a government. This is what we stand for. The electorate chose its preferred MPs because it did not want things to continue like they were in 2013, when the government of the day had practically destroyed the country. No one had faith in the government back then.”

The PL administration, he said, has strengthened the economy and the rule of law and was giving people a better quality of life. “This project is ongoing. We have a 5-year mandate and we will see it through.”

Mizzi reiterated that he had previously shouldered his political responsibility. “This time I have nothing to do with that is happening. I have no association with that company. I stand tall.”

Mizzi said he had already declared this under oath and Nexia BT had cleared up the issue too. “I gave my all for this government, working day and night for 7 years, and my intention is to do even more.”

Asked whether his continued presence was actually harming the government, he said the ones harming the country where those in the PN who did not accept being relegated to the Opposition benches. “This is nothing but a political witch hunt by those who never accepted defeat.”

Asked directly whether he would be resigning, he said he stands tall and is proud of his achievements.

Asked whether Keith Schembri should resign, he said journalists should ask that question to Schembri. “He [Schembri] was an integral part of the change process in this country but I can only speak for myself.”

He said he has a professional relationship with Yorgen Fenech, adding that there are people on both sides of the house who have closer relationships with him.

Asked whether he had thought Fenech to be capable of murder, he said he could never answer a question that could jeopardise the investigations. Asked whether Daphne Caruana Galizia had ever been brought up in their conversations, he again said “go away.”

Mizzi insisted that the Electrogas project had been given the blessing of the European Commission.

Asked when he had last spoken to Fenech, he said it was “a while back” but could not remember exactly when that was.

Asked whether the PM had asked for his resignation, Mizzi said he speaks in a “serene way” with the PM.  “We are happy that the investigation is ongoing in a serene way.”

Asked whether he regretted at all dealing with Fenech, Mizzi said he is only interested in the project.

“We did business with Elegrogas, not with Mr Fenech directly.We are not responsible for other people’s actions, and my actions speak louder than words.”

Asked whether he was concerned that Fenech might name him as one of the people involved in the murder, Mizzi seemed taken aback. He then said that “hopefully he will name names so that the truth emerges.”

“I find what you’re saying offensive,” he told the journalist.