Konrad Mizzi told journalists that the accusations behind the criminal charges brought forward against him are unfounded and that “there is not a single beacon of evidence in them.”

“There is no evidence,” Mizzi said, “it is based only on conjectures – conjectures that do not make sense.”

The former Health Minister was speaking to journalists on his way to the law courts where he is to face criminal charges following the conclusion of a magisterial inquiry into a deal he spearheaded to have three public hospitals passed on to the private sector.

Mizzi added that he has never received any money from anyone and that he has never had any sort of illicit association with anyone either. When asked by journalists where the millions of taxpayer money went, he responded that “There were no millions in my case, anywhere.”

Former Minister Mizzi said that he was present today to commence this judicial process and to clear his name.

Mizzi expressed his disappointment in the report of experts that was written as part of the inquiry leading up to this morning's hearings. He said that the method by which the report was written was “very unprofessional” as “it featured no forensic analysis, and was only filled with hypotheses.”

“This was not even, in my opinion, a report that could be used as intelligence, let alone for serious investigations,” he said.

He also added that he is frustrated by the lack of disclosure he has been given regarding these hearings, saying that he hadn’t even seen the court appendices.

Despite this alleged lack of disclosure, Mizzi said he has faith in the judicial system and in the Court he is scheduled to be tried by. He also expressed great faith in his lawyers that they can drop all accusations, and eventually, the case itself.

“I have faith in my lawyers that this case, once we start pushing away accusation by accusation, the case will drop,” he said.

Giving his concluding remarks, Mizzi thanked all his supporters before requesting to “those who may doubt or dislike” him and the other notable officials being charged to “give time for this judicial process to conclude, for them to go through the process, and for the evidence to speak for itself.”