Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has challenged Prime Minister Robert Abela to publish his law firm’s controversial the €17,000 a month retainer contract with the Planning Authority.

The Times of Malta had reported that a Planning Authority retainer for Robert Abela’s law firm more than doubled from €7,300 per month in 2013 to €17,110 in 2019.

Grech was speaking at a Nationalist Party rally in Sliema on Sunday.

Abela Advocates was paid over €1.2 million in that period for work which is now largely managed in-house by a lawyer from the PA, the PN had said.

“If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide, he must publish this contract and any others in Parliament, as the public has the right to find out the truth,” said Grech, adding that Abela has tried to hide this contract from the eyes of the public, but that journalists have uncovered the truth.

Grech also emphasized that Abela has yet to take action to remove the “grey stain” off the reputation of the country, referring to Malta’s current position on the FATF grey list. Grech mentioned that the Labour party need 10 years to remove the “dirt” within their party, questioning their ability to remove the country from the grey list.

The PN leader said that Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana must stop “threatening and persecuting” local businesses with excessive burdens, after a comment was made by Caruana that the government plans to increase bureaucratic burdens on local businesses after the general election.

Grech highlighted the controversy around the national broadcaster, PBS, where taxpayers’ money is being used to fund the station, he said. “PBS is being used by the government to put forth Robert Abela’s propaganda,” said Grech, adding that there has never been a time where Abela has accepted that the two leaders have a debate on the state broadcaster.

The PN has resorted to the constitutional court over this matter and has launched a constitutional case over political bias and imbalance, as well as “Labour propaganda” claims. Legal action is being taken against PBS, the Broadcasting Authority, the office of the state advocate as well as Minister Carmelo Abela, who is responsible for state broadcasting.

“We have spoken clearly over the dominance of PBS, we have opened a constitutional case to prove the truth to the public,” he said on the matter, adding that the PN has trust in the Maltese courts and that the public should not be discriminated against.

“If the case is not addressed before the general election, a government under the PN will make sure that the state broadcaster will work properly, and will fulfil its duties to the public,” Grech said.

Grech continued to say that Abela does not understand the people’s struggles due to the higher cost of living, being detached from the realities the public is facing, and only has the interests of those close to him at heart.

He mentioned former president Edward Fenech Adami for being an exemplary ex-leader who put the interests of Maltese families first and will continue his legacy under a PN government. 

PN MP Claudette Buttigieg, PN candidate Jerome Caruana Cilia and Secretary General for the party, Michael Piccinino also addressed the event.