Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has written to the Police Commissioner asking for police protection to be provided "to the Magistrate who is being attacked not only by the Prime Minister and others in the Labour Party, but also Labour Party media."

He said the Labour media used a photo of her, and also said that "this is dangerous."

The Magistrate Grech was referring to is  Magistrate Gabriella Vella, who led an inquiry into the Vitals hospitals deal under the Joseph Muscat government.

In comments to the press outside Parliament on Tuesday, Grech said that he wants protection for PN members, all the judiciary and especially the aforementioned magistrate.

On Tuesday, testimony in court confirmed that the Vitals inquiry concluded on Thursday 24 April and that it was sent to the Attorney General's office on 25 April.

Prime Minister Abela has hit out repeatedly at the timing of the conclusion of the inquiry, and had said that the magistrate chose to conclude her report on the same day that the call for nominations for the EP and local council elections opened. He said that the magistrate should have finished her work within two months, but she took four and a half years to complete her task.

Grech has previously hit out at Abela's criticism of the judiciary. The Nationalist Party leader had said he has faith in the courts, before criticizing Abela for attacking and threatening the institutions "to distract them from doing their jobs." Grech labelled this behaviour from the Prime Minister - as someone with the obligation to protect the country's institutions and see that the courts are safeguarded - as "unacceptable."

Comments made by Abela a day prior about the magistrate had also been criticised by the Chamber of Advocates, which accused him of attacking the judiciary. "He is obliged to weigh his words carefully without undermining the judiciary and its work. The judiciary should be left to work in liberty without interference," the Chamber said.