Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has called for an investigation into how information was leaked about his house being searched by the police.

In a video message posted on Facebook, Muscat voiced his objections with the way the situation was handled, saying that if he won’t be the one to voice his standpoint on certain matters, no one will.

The Burmarrad home of Muscat was searched by the police as part of investigations into the deal transferring three public hospitals to the private sector.

During the search, investigators confiscated documents and mobile phones from Muscat and his family. He expressed his concern with the fact that the police had searched his two daughters’ schoolbags and seized their phones, saying that this was “excessive.”

“The search inside my childrens’ schoolbags was over the top and obviously, nothing was found except school books. The message went over and above, even after I had requested to take the stand over these things. Someone took the decision for this whole ‘theatre’ act to take place.’"

Muscat explained that Repubblika president Robert Aquilina had somehow been informed about the search whilst it was ongoing, and said that PN MP Jason Azzopardi was talking about the search two or three days before it happened.

He added that “having such people invovled in the inquiry and knowing what is happening, rasises certain doubts not only on a personal level but also in people’s minds. Such actions simply undermine the trust of thousands of people.

The least that can be done in such a situation is that these people are investigated as to how they got to know that my house was being searched and find out if there was a breach.”

Muscat noted that he does not want to be treated any differently than others, saying: “I do not want to be treated differently, just because I am Joseph Muscat. However, I do not want to be treated in an unjust manner by people who are vindictive because I am Joseph Muscat.”

In the video, without ever mentioning her name, he made reference to former Pilatus Bank employee Maria Efimova and argued that she was being treated differently to him.

Muscat complained that while he was being treated in this way, others had been treated “with kid gloves.”

“Everyone knows she is in Greece. However, the police seem to have given up on bringing her to Malta, thus the case has been adjourned indefinitely. Once again, such actions raises doubts on how Malta’s institutions operate,” Muscat said.

“I always defended the institutions, but they cannot be used as two weights and two measures when this situation brought about a general election,” Muscat added.

Meanwhile, Muscat also made reference to the revelation that he had recevied €60,000 from a Swiss company who had in turn received millions from Steward Healthcare when it took over the VGH hospitals deal.

He argued that there was nothing inappropriate about the payments, saying that he simply did consultancy work which was all declared and taxed appropriately.

“Don’t I have the right to work?,” Muscat asked.

 

“I will continue to speak, explain and work, out of the limelight as I did my time already. However, I will not allow people to use me in some way or another to break the movement. The movement that we built together will not break but it will remain strong,” Muscat said.