NGO Repubblika on Wednesday appealed to the public, those of “goodwill,” to avoid going to the capital city on 28 and 29 May, the days in which former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and others are to be arraigned before the courts.

Honorary President Robert Aquilina said in a Facebook post that contrary to Muscat and his followers, who are “heating up tensions to avoid the consequences of their actions,” through the solidarity meeting his associates called during Muscat’s arraignment.

Muscat, former Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, and others are facing criminal charges over their involvement in the Vitals deal. Close associates of Muscat called on supporters to attend a “solidarity meeting” in front of the courts in support of the “man who truly cared for them.”

Aquilina said that maintaining good order has always been the organisation’s top priority whenever it organised vigils and mass protests, especially those in 2019 and the most recent one last week.

Aquilina said that Repubblika has written to the Police Commissioner about its concerns, where it wrote that the NGO is closely following everything related to the magisterial inquiry obtained by Repubblika five years ago regarding the fraudulent concession of the Maltese hospitals.

“We understand and firmly agree with the need to maintain good order in our country during this delicate moment in our nation's history,” the letter read.

Repubblika said noted that one of the individuals who will be brought before the Court to answer to criminal charges, namely Muscat, is calling on his followers to take to the streets on the day he is to be brought to court.

It reiterated that this mobilisation poses a challenge to the Police to maintain good order on those two days, and informed the Police that Repubblika will not be organising any public activity on 28, 29 May, not in Valletta, nor elsewhere.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Robert Abela added fuel to the fire by claiming that the PN is plannin 'a trap' for supporters of Joseph Muscat who attend a demonstration on 28 May. Opposition Leader Bernard Grech hit out at Abela over 'irresponsible' and 'desperate' comments.