Last Monday, both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader gave statements to the media outside the law courts, where they had attended a sitting related to the Nationalist Party’s case to recoup what the party says were €400 million which were given to private companies for the running of three public hospitals.

Last year, the courts annulled a deal which had seen St Luke’s Hospital, Karen Grech Hospital and Gozo General Hospital being passed on first to Vitals and later Steward. The harsh judgment, which described the deal as having been fraudulent, was also confirmed on appeal, with the courts here saying there was collusion.

And since then the political battle has escalated.

The Nationalist Party is making a big deal – and so it should be – about the issue. It has been, by far, the largest victory it has achieved since its time in opposition, and it intends to milk it as much as possible, scoring as many political points as possible as it tries to win support in a year when the European Parliament and local council elections will be taking place.

Ever since the agreement was signed in 2015, it has been under the political microscope as years passed with more and more public money being pumped to the private sector in one budget after another, with the PN insisting that this was not bringing about the desired results.

The government, year after year, continued to defend the deal until, last February, it was rescinded, an annulment that was also confirmed on appeal in October. The government is insisting that it is doing its part in the best interests of the country, and has taken the matter before an international tribunal. For the Opposition, this is not enough, and it has filed a court case for the €400 million paid out from public coffers to be returned. The government argues that a sizeable chunk of this money went into salaries.

The PN filed the court case after the State Attorney, Attorney General and the police did not take any legal action following the courts judgments. Neither did the government which, however, decided to become a party in the case which, according to Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, is “dangerous” because it attacks the country’s democratic principles. To this, the PN is replying that the government’s intentions are delaying tactics which are preventing the public to recoup its hard-earned money.

The government’s participation in the case has, no doubt, added fuel to the already raging fire. By demanding to be part of the case, intentionally or otherwise the government has taken the matter to a political level. With Abela and Grech present in a courtroom on different sides, the case has taken a new dimension and the outcome will inevitably have its repercussions.

Both sides claim to have the national interest at heart as they present their arguments in court. But it must also be said that both sides are seeking their own glory, as a victory will indisputably be turned into a political triumph.

We wait and see what the outcome will be.