The Nationalist Party has lodged a request for Parliament to convene for an urgent session so that they can file a motion of no confidence against Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis after chats between him and Yorgen Fenech emerged.

Edward Zammit Lewis chatted with businessman and alleged murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech in 2019, soon after he addressed a press conference about attempts to get police to investigate Fenech’s exposed company 17 Black.

Reports by MaltaToday and the Times of Malta share details about the Whatsapp chats between the businessman and the now Justice Minister – chats which were first hinted at by PN MP Jason Azzopardi last month, who however stopped short of naming Zammit Lewis in Parliament.

The PN said that instead of supporting the efforts of former PN leader Simon Busuttil to ensure that the 17 Black allegations were fully investigated, Zammit Lewis had described Busuttil as a “threat to rule of law” while also sending messages to Fenech “seeking his approval”.

The PN said that, like Robert Abela, Zammit Lewis was a politician who while presenting himself as the face of reform, is actually one of the people responsible for the environment of impunity which the state created.

The motion of no confidence is the first test for the Labour parliamentary group for them to show that they had learnt their lesson and are ready to work in the national interest.

MaltaToday reported how on 15 April 2019, the minister says “Wow, I have never been so humiliated. We speak of rough leaders. That I take to breakfast in politics. Don’t worry (ma gara xejn). History will judge me.”

Fenech replied later that night, saying “I don’t believe there is material.”

Zammit Lewis returned with an “hux hekk. Kids and poses. Political competence zero. But [that’s] what the stupid [gahan] Laburist wants, someone to serve him..”

“F****d politics,” replies Fenech.

Meanwhile, a Times of Malta report showed how Zammit Lewis sent an online news report detailing his mockery of Busuttil during the press conference.

In comments to the newspaper, Zammit Lewis said that he had always worked in people’s best interest and that he was determined to keep contributing to the government’s unprecedented reforms, “irrespective of who will have to face justice.”

ADPD have also called for Zammit Lewis to go, while NGO Repubblika have called a protest outside Zammit Lewis’ ministry for Tuesday night.