The Malta Independent 19 February 2025, Wednesday
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Grech says €400 million stolen translates into €5 million a year collected by MCCF 80 times over

Semira Abbas Shalan Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 19:41 Last update: about 10 months ago

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said that the €400 million stolen from the hospitals' deal is the amount the Malta Community Chest Fund manages to collect in 80 years, as it collects around €5 million a year.

Grech was speaking in a political event in Marsascala, where he pointed out that the annual event collects around €5 million a year, rightly so, for the funding of healthcare, particularly of severe circumstances.

The €400 million stolen in the Vitals' deal, and which several individuals are being criminally accused in Court over, could have been funds which could have gone to healthcare, he said.

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Grech blasted Prime Minister Robert Abela for failing to open a court case to recoup the €400 million and said he has even prevented the State Advocate from doing so, after the latter had said - during the PN's case on the matter, that he could not open a case without the Prime Minister's blessing.

"They stole €400 million only as a court case was opened, closed, and the three hospitals came back to the Maltese public. Otherwise, they would have stolen €400 billion," Grech said, adding that this was part of the accused's plan.

Grech said that the accused are now appearing before the courts, to convince everyone they did nothing wrong.

"If €400 million were spent, and not even a single room was built, let alone a new hospital, then how could you have not noticed?" Grech questioned, addressing Abela, and accusing him of being an accomplice by protecting the deal and for having continued to fork out millions to Steward.

With regards to Marsascala, Grech said that the PN and NGOs put pressure on government to drop plans to develop a yacht marina in Marsascala bay.

He said that the PN's achievements are the public's wins, and it will continue doing so for the public. Grech addressed the public, saying that it is now convinced that the Labour party is a criminal organisation.

Grech said that Abela should not turn back on his word after the elections, and should promise not to ever develop the bay into a yacht marina.

He said that the PN Local Councillors and candidates for the role will be insisting on a study to be done in each locality in Malta and Gozo, to determine how to best develop the locality for a higher quality of life.

Grech appealed to voters to vote for the PN, both for the Local Council and MEP elections, so that it has greater strength to address citizen's issues, naming security, traffic management, increased CCTV presence, and newer and better public spaces in Marsascala, while addressing its development and better upkeep


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