It is of great concern that Prime Minister Robert Abela has not yet uttered a single word after the benefits fraud scandal revealed on Sunday, the Nationalist Party said Tuesday.

Two days since the revelation of the latest scandal to emerge under this administration, Prime Minister Robert Abela is yet to take action, make a statement or even make a public appearance.

It has been reported that the former Labour MP Silvio Grixti was implicated in a scheme which saw people receving benefits for disabilities they did not have or were not entitled to. Grixti resigned from parliament back in December 2021. These benefits were fraudulently handed out to hundreds of people every month.

The Nationalist Party demanded an investigation to be carried out immediately to establish the facts.

The party said that the fact that this latest scandal allegedly involves a current Minister and the Office of the Prime Minister itself, and we need to throw light on “how our money was used in an institutionalized fraud from the pockets of Maltese and Gozitan families”.

The Opposition asked who Robert Abela is protecting and what he is hiding through his silence and inaction.

PN concluded its statement saying that with each passing day, it is becoming clearer that Robert Abela has lost his leadership over his Government, and that this is certified through the leaks from Cabinet meetings and the theft from people’s money with allegations made directly towards his Office.